UPDATE (04/12/23): Former North Central High School principal Evans Branigan has been fired. Dr. Daniel Mendez, the current principal at Seymour Middle School, was named as the new principal. He will start his transition into the position this summer.
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INDIANAPOLIS — Washington Township Schools has confirmed that North Central High School’s principal has been put on leave amid allegations of misconduct.
Evans Branigan III, the lead administrator at NCHS, was put on leave earlier this month and will remain absent until further notice, according to a Washington Township Schools news release.
In the release, the district said that families and staff were made aware of Branigan’s leave of absence earlier in March.
“As of today, it is clear at this stage of the HR process that this leave will be extended,” the release said. “Therefore, we wanted to share more details regarding the leave.”
The release from MSD Washington Township said that Branigan was placed on leave after the district received allegations of “verbal misconduct” and “failure to implement district protocols regarding a student discipline matter”.
The district said that an investigation into the claims was launched “immediately” after complaints were received. According to the release, Branigan is still on paid administrative leave pending the completion of that investigation.
“Out of respect for the process and to abide by legal guidelines, additional information will not be provided until [the investigation] is completed,” the release said.
The release also said that since Branigan’s leave began, Associate Principal Dr. Brian Davis has been serving as lead administrator. The district also said that it will be recommending an Interim Principal to the school board on Wednesday.
“Lastly, as a reminder the process for permanent replacement of NCHS Principal began in December and will continue through April,” the release reads.
The district said it still has a goal to recommend a permanent principal to the school board and have an announcement by the end of the year.
“We understand that during a process such as this, staff and families may feel in the dark, but please know that we are following proper procedures and protocols to protect the integrity of the investigative process,” the release ended. “Although perhaps frustrating, we must honor the investigative process and adhere to legal requirements.”