The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Opinion

August 14, 2008

Farrell High's new principal has tough choices to make

The Rev. Lora Adams-King faces a daunting task as the new principal of Farrell High School, but from our past dealings with the well-liked Farrell teacher, we think she’s up to that task.

Farrell Area School Board earlier this week made a good decision in hiring her, hopefully putting an end to a saga of controversy involving former principal Lee McFerren. McFerren was fired after extensive — and legally expensive — board hearings.

The board, which unanimously approved the new hiring, did well to stay within the district’s ranks. After the last experience of bringing in an outsider, this was understandable. Rev. Adams-King’s hiring should make for a smooth transition in school leadership.

Board President Marcena Cimoric made it clear when she told the new principal, “Your hands are going to be full.” But The Herald, like the board, thinks the Farrell High graduate has not only the hands, but the heart and head to do the job well.

However, in order to do the job properly, she will need to make some other tough life choices. As difficult as the decision may be, we think she should resign from Sharon School Board.

In her new job, she will not have time to sufficiently serve two districts. As principal at Farrell there also could be serious conflicts of interest with the neighboring district. The board should have made resignation from the Sharon board a condition of her hiring.

Some other Mercer County districts have had personnel from one district serve on school boards in their home areas. However, they are not nearly as closely tied as Sharon and Farrell.

Athletic rivalries aside, Sharon and Farrell constantly see student transfers between the two districts and since the principal is responsible for approving or denying requests, this could become a problem. As a school board member Rev. Adams-King is privy to employee situations or other matters which shouldn’t be the province of other districts. This is especially true when it comes to recommending the hiring of new personnel.

Somewhere down the line, we would hope the two school boards consider consolidation. A principal in one district shouldn’t have to make board decisions at another that could lead to staff cuts — perhaps even her own.

Rev. Adams-King has done an admirable job in helping to make decisions in Sharon so we would expect nothing less in her role as Farrell principal. But a principal’s job doesn’t end when the final school bell rings and there isn’t enough time to devote to both schools’ activities.

Then there is her role as pastor of Erie Street Church of God in Franklin. She will need to discuss with her parishioners if she can still dedicate the needed time to that job.

Given the constitutional separation of church and state, she must divide the two in her role as principal as she did when she was an elementary teacher.

At this time, Farrell still doesn’t have a full-time superintendent, so the post of principal will be even more critical than at other times. But Rev. Adams-King should be able to generate the support within the school district from teachers and students alike to make the job easier.

Rev. Adams-King faces a tough chore, but if she dedicates the time needed, we think she will be a great asset in building the academic stature and restoring the image of Farrell Area School District that has been tarnished by infighting between the board and principal over the past year.

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