March 25th, 2009
Reich steps down as Hays CISD principal

STAFF REPORT

Hays CISD is looking for a new Hays High School principal after re-assigning Shirley Reich to help institute a new student information system.

Reich has been under scrutiny since last month, when Hays High School decided to not evacuate two classrooms of special needs students during a Jan. 29 fire drill.

School officials said they had swept and searched the two classrooms earlier in the day in response to a bomb threat.

The school district said Reich requested the re-assignment. The position for a Hays High School principal will be posted Friday, with interviews to be conducted before the end of April.

Hays CISD is putting out Requests for Proposals (RFP) for a new student information system, noting that the present system is not meeting the school district’s needs. Reich will play a role in implementing a new system.

“While the purchase of our current system represented a significant savings over other student data systems, this system is not designed for Texas school districts,” Hays CISD interim Superintendent Carter Scherff said. “Plus, continued grade point average and class rank issues have tried and tried the patience of staff working closely with this information in their diligence to assist high school students with the college application process.”

Hays CISD Executive Director of Instructional Technology Dianne Borreson will direct the student information system conversion, which could take up to 18 months. The school board will take a recommendation for a new system from an interview team consisting of numerous stakehoiders.

Reich will take up her new duties implementing a new student information system in June.

“Ms. Reich has a first-hand understanding of the frustrations with our current system, as well as the demands on a new system from the high school point of view,” Scherff said. “Our expectation is that she will serve as an asset to this challenging process.”