GRAND BOULEVARD — Mollison Elementary School is searching for a new principal after the local school council decided not to renew the contract of Kimberly Henderson.
Henderson lead the school at 4415 S. Martin Luther King Drive through the difficult time when it combined with Overton Elementary School in 2013, and members of the local school council said they did not think she handled it well.
“I sat on the transition team and none of the things we asked for were implemented,” said Jeanette Taylor-Ramann, chairwoman of the council.
Henderson did not respond to requests for comment.
Taylor-Ramann said many of the problems at the school were the product of district-level decisions, but said the local school council lost confidence in Henderson after her poor handling of a student bringing a gun to school and taking selfies in the bathroom.
“We wanted someone who would handle things head on,” Taylor-Ramann said.
CPS has appointed Joyce Bristow, a former principal and a mentor and coach to other principals, to guide the school on an interim basis while the LSC selects a new principal.
“In a matter of couple weeks she’s come in and changed the culture,” Taylor-Ramann said.
She said the LSC has interviewed 57 candidates for principal so far and narrowed the list to 15.
Taylor-Ramann said a forum will be held in June for parents and community members to meet and weigh-in on the finalists.
Henderson is now serving as the interim principal at Oglesby Elementary School, 7646 S. Green St.
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