Is Natchez High School principal returning next year?

Published 12:04 am Tuesday, April 28, 2015

NATCHEZ — Is he, or isn’t he?

Will Smith, who became principal at Natchez High School at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year, wouldn’t say definitely Monday if he will return to his job in the Natchez-Adams School District next year.

Natchez-Adams School District Superintendent Frederick Hill said rumors of Smith’s resignation were “floating around last week.” However, Hill said Smith has not submitted his resignation.

Email newsletter signup

“I met with him on Friday and we had no discussion about him resigning,” Hill said.

However, Smith, said Monday morning that while he hasn’t submitted a letter of resignation, he wouldn’t commit to returning to his job as Natchez High School principal next school year.

“What happened is, they told me not to speak to you all,” Smith said. “They said you could speak to our public relations.

“I have not officially given them my formal resignation yet,” Smith said. “We’ll see what happens in the coming weeks.”

Smith would not discuss any grievances he has with his job at Natchez High, or what could happen in the coming weeks that would make him stay or leave the district.

Smith replaced long-time educator Fred Butcher. Butcher was named principal at Natchez High School in May 2013 and resigned unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 13, 2014, announcing his last day of work with the district would be Friday, May 16, 2014.

Butcher declined to comment at the time on the reason for his abrupt resignation.

Butcher served 24 years as principal at Ferriday High School in the Concordia Parish School District before joining the Natchez-Adams School District as Natchez High athletic director in 2008, a position he served in for five years prior to being named the school’s principal.

Butcher is also a member of the Concordia Parish School Board, on which he represents school board district 1A.