Griffin Middle School, where recent administrative changes have taken place.
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Sponsor Our ArticlesGriffin Middle School’s Principal Zelena O’Banner has resigned following allegations of financial misconduct that led to a district investigation. The resignation, effective February 25, comes after a tumultuous three-month period during which she was on paid leave. Allegations include improper financial transactions and policy violations. With assistant principal Patrick Wright stepping in as interim principal, the school community faces uncertainty about future leadership and stability.
In a surprising turn of events, Principal Zelena O’Banner of Griffin Middle School has stepped down from her position as the school’s leader, effective February 25. This resignation marks the end of a tumultuous three-month period during which O’Banner was on paid administrative leave, all while a district investigation into allegations of financial misconduct unfolded.
The investigation, which began in December and wrapped up in late February, was prompted by concerns raised by a teacher regarding not only the principal’s actions but also those of the former guidance counselor at the school. Although the Leon County school district has not disclosed all the specific details surrounding the allegations, reports indicate some serious claims against O’Banner. It has been alleged that she improperly deposited funds from a school fundraiser into her own personal bank account, borrowed thousands from a teacher without paying it back, and had fellow staff members performing personal favors for her during school hours.
This situation escalated to the point where it was determined that O’Banner had violated School Board Policy 1210, which governs the use of institutional privileges for personal gain. There were further findings regarding the mishandling of internal accounts and timesheets as well, stirring up quite a bit of unrest in the school community.
As of now, the school district has named Assistant Principal Patrick Wright as the interim principal while they search for a new leader. The timeline for appointing a permanent principal remains uncertain, leaving both faculty and students feeling a bit unsettled during this transitional period.
On a brighter note, the community might be curious about the future direction of Griffin Middle School. The school has seen O’Banner at the helm since her appointment in 2017, following a lengthy tenure as an assistant principal at Deerlake Middle School for 14 years. However, her decades-long career in education—22 years in total within the district—has now been abruptly affected by these recent events.
In light of the investigation and the serious nature of the allegations, O’Banner has firmly denied any wrongdoing. However, the culmination of these events led her to resign, which she claims was a move to protect her reputation and retirement benefits amid ongoing scrutiny. Public records requests have already been initiated to get more information regarding the findings of the investigation. This means that further information might trickle down soon.
Adding to the turmoil, the former guidance counselor at Griffin Middle School has also faced disciplinary action and received a week-long suspension without pay due to her own violations of district policies. The investigation has also pointed to inconsistencies in employee timesheets, with reports of staff logging hours for work that might never have been performed.
As the dust settles from this surprising news, both students and faculty at Griffin Middle School are left wondering how this will affect their school community moving forward. With an interim principal in place and concerns about finances still on everyone’s minds, there is a collective hope that clarity and stability will soon return to Griffin Middle School. Only time will tell as the school district continues to tackle these serious allegations and work towards a brighter path ahead.
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