ONTONAGON - Ontonagon Area Schools will bid farewell to K-12 principal John Shiner in July and a replacement is being sought.
Shiner, who has been with the district more than a decade, submitted his letter of resignation which was read aloud by the OAS Board of Education Thursday evening in a special meeting to discuss the budget and approve staffing contracts.
"I recall the laughter and tears shared with workers over the years," Shiner wrote.
Shiner said he will miss the students, the athletes and said the students made working at the district a pleasure.
Superintendent Gray Webber said losing Shiner is a great loss to the district and suggested an administrative realignment plan reflected in the budget approved during the same meeting.
"I'm very saddened by John's leaving," Webber said. "Very much so. He's a stand-up guy, and a very committed and hard worker. ... I wish him and his family extremely well."
The school board approved Shiner's contract through July 2012 and then he will leave to take another job at the Manistique school district. The board agreed to post the position internally, as Webber said the district has several qualified teachers for the position.
"We have amongst us a couple diamonds in the rough," Webber said.
The board also only approved head teacher Jim Bobula's contract through the month of July for reorganizational purposes. Bobula acts as head of athletics, head of special education and head teacher in the elementary school, as the school used to be located in the former high school building but moved to the high school last year.
Webber said Bobula would do well in the job as principal and said the budget reflected having a principal and vice principal rather than having a head teacher.
Bobula said he plans to apply for the job. A decision will be announced at a later time.