Ottumwa School Official Addresses Concerns Surrounding Recent Evans Principal Hire

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An Ottumwa Community School District official made an appearance on the Tuesday edition of Dialogue on 1240 AM/102.7 FM KBIZ to address community concerns surrounding the hiring of the new principal at Evans Middle School.

Associate Superintendent Brad McCloskey says the job search included consulting with a search firm, background checks, and looking into the credentials of each candidate for the position. The interview process involved five different panels featuring community members, teachers, parents, and students. According to McClosky, Mike Davis, the current Dean of Students in the Keokuk Community School District, emerged as the top candidate for the job and was eventually hired to be the new Evans Middle School principal.

Davis was reprimanded in 2011 for inappropriate contact with a student when he was a teacher and a girls’ basketball coach at Keokuk. Documents from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners allege Davis sent numerous inappropriate text messages to a female student which included improper topics for a student-teacher relationship. Davis was also alleged to have kissed the female student and touched her inappropriately.

McCloskey says he talked with the lead police investigator in Davis’ case.

“He (the investigator) couldn’t get it out of his mouth fast enough [that] there was nothing there. what they ended up finding was that he (davis) had one-on-one commmunications with some of his players. Again, what the AD (Activities Director) and the board at the time felt was outside of what the communication probably should have been timewise…What ended up happening is he (Davis) was reprimanded for communicating with his players outside of school hours.” Ottumwa Community School Associate Superintent Brad McCloskey

Davis was not criminally charged and received a two-year deferred suspension of his teacher’s license from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.

McCloskey, who previously knew Davis during his time as a principal in the Keokuk School District, says Ottumwa Schools talked to the current and former superintendents at Keokuk Schools and they spoke highly of Davis.

“There’s been several superintendents since then and we’ve talked to all of them. And they could all not speak more highly of Mike and his character, his leadership, and his professionalism.” Associate Superintendent Brad McCloskey

McCloskey says the district is extremely confident in Davis and his abilities.

You can listen to the replay of our conversation with Brad McCloskey Tuesday evening at 6:00 on 1240 AM/102.7 FM KBIZ.

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