Former Appomattox principal gets teaching job

By Annie McCallum

Published: October 10, 2008

Former Appomattox High School principal Greg Wheeler, who was suddenly removed from his post this week, starts a new job Monday as a teacher at Appomattox Middle School.

Bruce McMillan, the school system’s director of human resources, said Wheeler will teach in the school’s Prep Academy, an alternative program. Wheeler was principal at the middle school before becoming Appomattox High School principal in 2005.

McMillan said Wheeler begins his new position Monday and will keep his principal salary.

“It was the only professional vacancy in the county,” he said, adding Friday was the last day for the teacher currently in the position.

That teacher gave resignation notice several weeks ago, McMillan said.

Wheeler’s reassignment was announced Monday. The division mailed a letter home to parents Tuesday stating assistant principal David Read will serve as acting principal while the division searches for a new principal. It also stated the division would not provide details about what led to Wheeler’s reassignment because it is a personnel matter.

School officials and school board members have declined to comment; some school board members wouldn’t even admit to an emergency meeting Sunday.

McMillan said the board did meet Sunday at 2 p.m.

It is unclear how that meeting was publicized or what specifically was discussed.

Before joining the Appomattox school system, Wheeler was an assistant principal at Sandusky Middle School and a social studies teacher and coach at Heritage High School in Lynchburg.