Special School Board meeting 5 p.m. Friday: UPDATE: Bigfork High School Principal Will Not Return

Bigfork High School Principal Thom Peck will not be returning to the school for the 2008-2009 academic year.

Peck declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding his departure, saying that more information should be available in the next week.

“I’ve been advised by counsel to wait until the settlement,” he said. “I can say that my personnel file is extremely clean, but there has been some disagreements with the school board and the superintendent.”

Peck said his departure wouldn’t result in a lawsuit.

Bigfork School District Superintendent Russ Kinzer said he could not comment on personnel issues, but confirmed Peck was no longer working for the district. Matt Jensen, a BHS teacher who had been promoted last year to fill the school's open athletic director position, will now be the school's new assistant principal and handle all day-to-day operations. BHS librarian Matt Porrovecchio will also move to an administrative position, sharing AD jobs and other duties with Jensen.

Kinzer said Jensen would be under his direct supervision, and that he planned to be "in the building on a daily basis or as needed."

Peck had spent the last six years as the BHS principal. He previously had been an assistant principal and activities director at Hamilton High School.

Class begins Sept. 8 at the high school.