Embattled High School Principal Resigns

Deborah Bayliss | As of Friday, November 1, 2013

Shonte Higgenbottom
Shonte Higgenbottom

The principal of King College Prep High School, which has recently experienced its share of challenges and tragedy, resigned last week saying she was stepping aside for someone who could provide better leadership.

“She basically said she was no longer making a difference at the school and that it was important to her to be able to do so,” said Lance William, chairman of King’s Local School Council (LSC) about King’s former principal, Shonte Higgenbottom’s resignation last Friday. “She felt she was not getting the full cooperation of her faculty who did not support her leadership.”

By law, Local School Councils (LSCs) play a role in decision-making at the local school level. The primary responsibilities of LSCs include approving how school funds and resources are allocated, approving and monitoring the implementation of the annual school improvement plan, and hiring and evaluating the principal.

“I am disappointed to see her go but I am also impressed that she put aside her ego and graciously, stepped aside,” said Williams.

Dave Miranda, Deputy Press Secretary at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) confirmed Monday that Higginbottom resigned from the school located at 4445, S. Drexel Blvd.

The LSC will engage in a new principal selection process. CPS in the meantime, will put an interim principal in place.

Higginbottom started at King in Sept. of last year and shortly afterwards in Jan, the school dealt with the murder of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, a King student.

Additionally, Higgenbottom faced a student sit-in last Dec. staged to voice discontent with the principal and new school policies put in place when she arrived. Not being allowed into the school building before and after school, computer lab changes and lack of communication were among their grievances.

In Jan., about 35 parents and students gathered for a town hall meeting to further air those concerns.

Williams opened the meeting with a presentation on the school’s academic standing, saying students should stage a protest about not making AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) and the possibility of losing the school’s selective enrollment status.

“For the last couple of years, regarding academics, prior to brining Ms. Higgenbottom in, the school was not doing as well as Lane (Technical High School, 2501 W Addison St.), Whitney Young, (Magnet High School, 211 S. Laflin St.) or Lindbloom (Math & Science Academy, 6130 S. Wolcott) with more than 40 percent of (King) students not meeting AYP,” Williams said, adding that King was on the academic watch list.

Higgenbottom said at the time that the situation was being addressed because teachers were receiving professional development training and with students getting the extra help they need.

Students at the town hall meeting said lack of access to the tutoring lab; the principal’s administrative style and not being heard were their chief complaints.

“You’ve been here how long,” King High School Junior, Haley Ferguson, asked as she stood to address Higgenbottom. “I need extra help. “I have to walk a half hour away from home to get the tutoring I need because we don’t have access to the tutoring lab… It’s dangerous,” she said. “We need someone who will talk to us in a way that when we walk away we feel like things were resolved,” Ferguson said.

Higgenbottom said the tutoring lab was opened last Oct.

Parents agreed there was a lack of communication between the principal and the students.

Williams said Monday that there was not a lot of response from parents and students on Higgenbottom’s resignation.

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