Updated: Franklin High School Principal Cheryl Clark Abruptly Resigns, Interim Appointed

Franklin High School principal Cheryl Clark abruptly resigned her position on Oct. 13, citing personal reasons. Clark is seen here on her first day on the job in 2016.

Update: As expected, the Board of Education Oct. 19 accepted the resignation of the Franklin High School principal, and appointed an interim.

Former principal Cheryl Clark abruptly resigned Oct. 13, citing personal reasons.

Without comment, the school board Oct. 19 accepted Clark’s resignation and appointed FHS vice-principal Beth Ebler as the school’s interim principal through Feb. 28, 2018.

According to the personnel report included with the Oct. 19 meeting agenda, Ebler’s appointment is retroactive to Oct. 16 and is on an ‘as needed” basis. She will be paid $620 per day.

Original Story: Franklin High School principal Cheryl Clark abruptly resigned Oct. 13, after being in the job for slightly more than one year.

School Superintendent John Ravally said Clark cited “personal reasons” for her resignation.

The Board of Education is expected to formally accept Clark’s resignation at its Oct. 19 meeting, Ravally said in a message that was sent home to high school parents.

Ravally said he named high school vice principal Beth Ebler as the school’s acting principal, “covering (Clark’s) absence until the board meeting.”

Ebler, he said, has experience as a principal and as an assistant superintendent.

“I’ll make the recommendation to the board to allow (Ebler) to continue as acting principal and then what we’ll do is go out and seek a permanent replacement,” he said.

Clark was in school on Oct. 9, 19 and 11, Ravally said, but not on Oct. 12.

Clark, who was appointed to the position in April 2016 and began working that July 1, was the school’s first permanent principal in two years. She replaced Thomas DiGanci, who served as interim principal from 2014 to 2016 – as long as he was legally allowed to – following the resignation of James Bevere, who suddenly left after two years.

Clark’s tenure as principal was stormy from her first school day. Students bristled at the aggressiveness which Clark and FHS staffed enforced current and new rules, and an online petition was created to convince Clark to relax enforcement of rules banning cell phones and the dress code.

Students also showed up at several school board meetings to air their grievances over Clark with the board members.

Clark spent the first 19 years of her career in the Irvington school district. When she was hired in Franklin, her salary was $130,000 per year.

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