Jeff Steffens, the assistant principal and athletic director at Perryville High School who has served as interim principal since September, has been hired as principal of the school for the 2017-2018 school year.

The decision was made during a closed session of the Perry County School Board last week.

The board took two votes. The first followed a motion to rehire Rich Thomas as principal of the Perryville High School. Thomas has been on administrative leave since September for reasons the district declined to explain in September and after the most recent announcement.

“That’s a personnel issue, handled in the closed session,” communications director Kate Martin said, declining to speak further on the matter.

The special-session vote to rehire Thomas failed unanimously.

The Southeast Missourian tried to reach Thomas for comment and did not receive a reply.

After the vote, a motion was made to hire Steffens for the principal position, which passed unanimously.

Steffens has served as athletic director at Perryville High School for 15 years and as assistant principal for 12.

“I was born and raised here, went to high school here, came back and started my first career teaching here,” Steffens said.

The rest of the 2016-2017 school year will continue as it has since September, Martin said. Between now and the next school year, the district will try to fill the assistant principal/athletic director position Steffens is vacating. The person hired for the position will work alongside Steffens and Garrett Cook, the high school’s other assistant principal.

Steffens said the school’s policies, procedures and aims for academic achievement will be carried out as usual through the end of the school year. Any changes that may come in the future will be decided by “myself, Mr. Cook ... and a committee of teachers,” he said.

Superintendent Andy Comstock said in a statement Steffens has proven his ability to lead the high school during his time as interim principal.

“He has served our district for more than 26 years, and in that time, has always been an incredible advocate for students and staff,” Comstock said. “I believe him to be a strong servant leader, and I’m confident that he’ll continue to lead PHS in a positive direction.”

bbrown@semissourian.com

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326 College St., Perryville, Mo.