Parents seek answers about sudden departure of Gibault Catholic High School principal
Some parents are upset about a lack of answers on the sudden departure of the Gibault Catholic High School principal at the beginning of the school year.
Gibault Principal Stephen Kidd resigned effective Aug. 24. The school year began Aug. 18.
Vice Principal Jim Montgomery was named the interim building administrator while officials look for a replacement.
The Belleville Diocese announced Kidd’s departure in a letter from the vicar general but didn’t provide the reason he left. The vicar general is a representative for the bishop.
Parents received another letter in the last few days saying the Belleville Diocese can’t comment on personnel matters. Kidd couldn’t be reached for comment.
About 20 people attended Monday night’s school board meeting in Waterloo to see if they would get any more information. They didn’t.
School board president Nathan Higgerson said during the meeting that board members don’t have any more details than parents do because the board doesn’t get involved in personnel matters.
“While we all might wish to know more, that doesn’t change the obligation to be respectful of current employees or past employees when situations necessitate privacy,” Higgerson said.
Belleville Diocese Vicar General Steven Beatty and Superintendent of Schools Jonathan Birdsong were present for the meeting but didn’t speak.
Four parents shared their frustration with the situation and expressed their support for Kidd.
“With each letter that has been forwarded to us from Mr. Montgomery, it’s in my opinion led to just more confusion, more questions,” parent Chris Toenjes said during the meeting.
Toenjes said it was noteworthy that the first communication to parents came from the vicar general.
“I’ve been part of the Catholic school for a long time,” she said. “Went to Catholic grade school, went to Catholic high school. My kids went to Catholic grade school, Catholic high school. I have never known the vicar general in the schools that I’ve been part of to get involved in a personnel issue.”
Kidd had worked at Gibault Catholic High School since the fall of 2019.
Julie Maul, another parent who spoke during Monday’s meeting, praised Kidd’s involvement in the school.
“Part of why we came here was Mr. Kidd,” Maul said. “... We had met with him and you could really tell he created a school community here. He coached here. My son said that he had told him that he would help him with math if he was struggling in math. These are things that not every principal does.”
Higgerson said that while school board members aren’t involved in personnel decisions, they can offer their perspectives with the administration.
After parents spoke during Monday’s meeting, board members had a closed-door meeting “to consider the comments and the concerns we have heard tonight as we move forward,” Higgerson said.
This story was originally published August 29, 2022 at 8:58 PM.
