4 - CAPE GAZETrE, Friday, April 26 - May 2, 1996
Peck transferred to assistant principal's post at Cape High
By Kerry Kester
In her first exercise using a new
board policy which allows the su-
perintendent to make administra-
tive transfers without seeking
board approval first, Superinten-
dent Suellen Skeen has transferred
Margaret Peck, athletic director,
to the position of assistant princi-
pal at Cape Henlopen High
School, effective July 1.
She apprised the board of her
decision during executive session
of the Cape Henlopen Board of
Education meeting on Thursday,
April 18.
Skeen was able to hire an addi-
tional assistant principal at the
high school because projections
show the school at 57 teaching
unitL four more than last year.
The requirement for a state-fund-
ed additional assistant principal at
the high school is 55 units.
Peck, who has served as athletic
director for 12 years, said she is
pleased to be changing her duties
in the district.
"I think it's basically a way to
serve the school community in an-
other capacity," said Peck.
'TII maintain my interest in
athletics by being extremely sup-
portive. I came here when the se-
niors were in the first grade, and
now I'm graduating with them,"
Peck said.
"I'm looking forward to work-
ing with the
student body
in new av-
enues," she
said.
"And I look
forward to
working with
an outstand=
ing staff. I do
think Cape PECK
Henlopen
High School has an outstanding
professional staff."
Skeen was able to make the
transfer because the athletic direc-
tor's position, although paid from
a teaching unit and some local
funds, was considered administra-
five.
According to Butch Archer,
board president, the athletic direc-
tor's position became an adminis-
trative position about three or four
years ago.
"She's on an administrative
contract," said Skeen. "She was
funded by a teaching unit. The
board paid the difference between
the teacher unit and the adminis-
trative salary [from local funds]. I
don't anticipate the athletic direc-
tor position being an administra-
tive position any longer."
The athletic director's position
is expected to open within the
next week.
Skeen said the board would
have to make a final decision on
how the position would be out-
lined, but her recommendation is
for a half time athletic
director/half time teacher posi-
tion.
Peck, who earned her bachelor
of science degree in physical edu-
cation from Indiana University,
earned her master of.science de-
gree in secondary education, with
an emphasis on counseling.
Prior to her tenure in the Cape
district, she was an assistant prin-
cipal at Indian River High SChool
and at Sussex Central Junior High
School, where she also served as a
guidance counselor.
Before moving to Delaware,
she was a physical education in-
structor at Bucknell University in
Lewisburg, Pa., where she also
coached intercollegiate basketball
and field hockey.
"Marge has done a hock of a job
for us," said Archer. "She's
brought a lot of positive recogni-
tion to the district because of all
she's done."
Cape District will see personnel
changes in 1996-97 school year
By Kerry Kester
Although the Cape Henlopen Board of Education will not suffer the
agony of distributing pink slips to regularly contracted educators in the
district, present projections indicate the district will see some staffing
changes.
According to Superintendent Suellen Skeen, in addition to the high
school earning an additional assistant principal, Shields Elementary
School may also qualify for one. "The numbers aren't firm yet," said
Skeen, but she is relatively certain the school will qualify.
However, she said, that news is offset by the enrollment projections at
H.O. Brittingham Elementary School, where numbers are down and the
school faces the loss of an assistant principal. "Nobody is going to be
rifled [reduction in force]," said Skeen. "We'll be moving some teach-
ers around."
Milton Middle School and Rehoboth Elementary School will remain
nearly the same, both in terms of its professional and administrative
staffing needs. Lewes Middle School may lose one teaching position,
but it will still qualify for an assistant principal. That position is cur-
rently being held by Wayne Steele, who has resigned from the job and
will return to his high school driver's education assignment.
"We probably will lose some paraprofessionals," said Skeen. Due to
a reduction in federal funding, Title I, some paraprofessional positions
will have to be eliminated, said Skeen. The paraprofessional lay-offs
will be based on seniority. However, she said, the district has not yet
determined what the attrition may be, so it is possible that when retire-
ment or resignation information becomes known, shuffling assignments
may preserve some jobs. Skeen said all those employees, professional
or support, who are on temporary contracts, will not be rehired until
there are more conclusive enrollment counts.
Skeen
still in contention for state superintendent of schools position
By Kerry Kester
Cape Henlopen Board of Education Su-
perintendent Suellen Skeen has made it past
another round of cuts in Delaware's search
for a new state superintendent. Skeen is
one of seven who is now in contention for
the state's top education leadership post.
"The next step is personal interviews
with the candidates," said State Board of
Education President Paul Fine. The inter-
views will be with the State Board, an edu-
cational advisory group comprised of edu-
cational leaders and with the Delaware
Business Roundtable.
Fine said he is uncertain whether there
will be another round of cuts following the
interviews. "I think it's going to flush itself
out after this next stage," said Fine. It may
or may not be necessary to have another
stage of interviews with a smaller number
of candidates.
"We feel that the superintendent's posi-
tion is critical at this time in the state's his-
tory," said Fine. "The challenge to
strengthen Delaware's public school sys-
tem and move New Directions forward is
considerable. Each candidate comes with
the knowledge and background necessary
to move our education reform ahead."
"I'm just so very pleased," said Skeen. "I
certainly think that we've made wonderful
strides in this state on reform." The next
stage of educational reform in Delaware,
she said, pertains to professional develop-
ment and instructional strategies. "And
that's what I'm good at," she said. "It's re-
al exciting that the next step is the instruc-
tional piece."
Skeen said that if she is hired, it will be
with regret that she leaves the district.
Clampitt
Continued from page 1
on it."
Smith repeated a previous state-
ment that city officials had no
knowledge of Clampitt's activities
that led to the unlawful sexual in-
tercourse charges.
Judge addresses Clampitt
While Lewes awaits more no-
tice of the suits, Clampitt will
have plenty of time to consider the
words of Superior Court Judge
William Swain Lee who stood by
a sentence agreed to by lawyers
for the state and for Clampitt.
Asked whether he wanted to
comment before sentencing,
Clampitt declined.
'TII stand by the sentence as
crafted," said Lee, as Clampitt,
with head bowed, and his lawyer,
Gone Maurer, stood before him.
"The victims were involved in the
process and the needs of society
are met. The police department is
the first line of defense that soci-
ety has against those who would
break rules. Police officers are
cloaked with the greatest power of
any group over the citizens of so-
ciety. When that power is abused
it's frightening. The victims have
no place to turn to for protection.
We have to respond strongly and
forcefully.
"You," said Lee to Clampitt,
"failed in your commitment to the
society you were sworn to protect.
Instead you chose to use it for
your own purposes."
Lee ordered Clampitt to have no
contact with the victims after he is
released from prison and ordered
him to get counseling "specifical-
ly for sexual problems."
When Clampitt was led from
the courtroom to a courthouse
holding cell, his wife, sobbing
loudly, was led by a friend from
the courtroom.
In the courthouse entryway
downstairs, she was comforted by
the friend while one of her four
children held her legs and asked:
Where's daddy, mommy, where's
daddy?"
Sad and tragic
In opening statements at the
sentencing, Clampitt's attorney,
Maurer, termed the entire situa-
tion "sad and tragic for very many
reasons. For the victims, for
Lewes Police Department, and the
greatest problems of all are for
Mr. Clampitt's wife and family.
She's present in the courtroom
and she stands by him at this time.
He also will have a tough time of
it. It strikes me that he [Clampitt]
was not sure he believed he was
actually using force to acomplish
his purposes. But now he's ac-
cepted responsibility for his ac-
tions."
After sentencing, Maurer reiter-
ated that he didn't think the sen-
tence was light.
"He'll now have a chance to
serve his time and then get his life
back together."
Deputy attorney general Steven
Wood called Clampitt's crimes
"tremendously horrifying. He
used the power of his authority
not as a shield but as a sword to
violate two innocent victims. It's
truly every woman's nightmare.
Trying to minimize that at this
point only makes matters worse."
Clampitt was convicted of two
counts of unlawful sexual inter-
course related to two separate in-
cidents, in 1994 and 1995, when
he took the victims to the Lewes
police station - after stopping the
cars they were in for traffic mat-
ters - and had sex with them after
telling them what kind of trouble
there would be if they didn't ac-
cept his advances.
He played upon their fears for
his own sexual gratification," said
Wood. His sentence also reflect-
ed conviction on charges of offi-
cial mis-conduct.
Correctional department offi-
cials said Clampitt was taken to
Morris Correctional Institution in
Dover where it's likely he will
serve most of his term. Morris
usually houses DWI offenders.
He will be eligible for 90 days of
reduced sentence for good behav-
ior for each year of his sentence.
Former Lewes Police Officer Gilbert Clampitt leaves Sussex
County Courthouse in the custody of correctional officers
Dennis Eskew (left) and Bill Pride on April 19 after being sen-
tenced for unlawful sexual intercourse.
