ORWIGSBURG - After being charged with driving under the influence, Blue Mountain Middle School Principal James McGonigle was reassigned Thursday to non-principal-related duties at Blue Mountain Elementary Cressona.
The action stems from an Aug. 30 incident in which McGonigle was charged with DUI and careless driving in Leesport by the Northern Berks Regional Police Department. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 25 at the office of Magisterial District Judge Thomas M. Gauby Sr., Leesport.
McGonigle will continue to be paid his salary of about $97,500, Superintendent Robert Urzillo said Thursday. His reassignment is effective Sept. 10 and lasts "until further notice and/or action by the board," according to the vote taken Thursday night during the school board personnel committee meeting.
McGonigle addressed the school board earlier in the evening during an executive session, district solicitor Sudhir Patel said after the meeting. McGonigle has not been to work since Monday, Urzillo said.
"He did not discuss any of the specifics of the criminal charges he faces," Patel said. He added that there was no discussion on any action by the board and there were no questions about the allegations.
Patel said he wanted to make sure Patel had "procedural due process."
"We're stepping through the process the way we're suppose to and the board is taking this very seriously, but we're stepping through the process and letting it unfold," school board President Mary Jo Moss said.
"As soon as the school board found out about the incident, it immediately contacted me, the solicitor, and board convened on Sunday in executive session to discuss the issue," Patel said. "In response to a significant amount of public questions, public concerns and also understanding that Jim McGonigle has certain constitutional rights and that there is a process that has to play out and move forward, the board on Sunday evening discussed and ultimately advised Mr. McGonigle that he is going to be reassigned out of the principal role in the middle school until some indefinite time in the future, and again the overriding concerns here are there is a middle school that has to be run. There are students, there are parents, there are taxpayers that all have a whole lot of concerns ..."
"And I was concerned it would be a disruptive factor in the educational process," Urzillo said.
Patel said he will attend the preliminary hearing Sept. 25 and report back to the board.
"One thing I, as solicitor, did not want to see this board do is to make a rush to judgment. Again, he's been charged and that's all."
The board appointed Mark Cesari as the middle school's acting principal effective Sept. 10 and increased his salary $100 a week. The board also appointed Michelle Guers as interim assistant middle school principal effective Sept. 17, and she will also receive an additional $100 a week.
No members of the public were present at Thursday's meeting.