Powell named interim principal at Whitley County High School

Kenneth Powell

Whitley County High School will have a new person at the helm for the remainder of the school year and he is no stranger to the school.

Whitley County Superintendent Scott Paul announced Monday morning that he had named Kenneth Powell as interim administrator at Whitley County High School for the duration of the school year.

Powell worked for the school district for over 30 years before he retired in 2009 as deputy superintendent. Prior to serving as deputy superintendent Powell served as high school principal for 15 years.

"Having worked as an assistant under Mr. Powell myself, I am absolutely confident that he will do a wonderful job during this time as interim administrator," Paul said. "There is no one more qualified to take this position than Kenny. I really appreciate his willingness to come back and help us out."

On Feb. 2, Paul suspended Alan Sweet from his duties as high school principal with pay pending the results of an internal investigation.

Five days later, school district officials contacted Kentucky State Police who began a criminal investigation.

So far school and police officials have said little about what prompted the investigation. The only thing police have said about their investigation is that it involves a juvenile.

Since Sweet became principal in 2009, the only disciplinary action taken against him was a private reprimand that Paul issued in February 2013. School officials have declined to say why the reprimand was issued.

Deputy Superintendent Paula Trickett was initially appointed as interim administrator at the high school to replace Sweet. Those duties were taken over by Powell effective Monday morning.

Powell was the longest serving principal in the history of Whitley County High School having held the position from 1991 through 2006.

During that time he was twice named Principal of the Year. In 2006, he left the high school to become deputy superintendent and remained in that position until his retirement.

In 2012, the Whitley County Board of Education voted to recognize the lasting impact that Powell’s career had made in the district by naming the newly constructed freshman wing at the high school in his honor.

Earlier this month the Whitley County Board of Education created an itinerant district-wide interim administration position, which allows for the hiring and appointment of an interim principal if the assigned person is absent for a significant length of time. The board gave the superintendent the authority to hire someone on an as needed basis.

Powell is the first person hired to serve in this position.

Paul said the position is only a temporary measure that will be filled on an as needed basis.