Centennial High School principal reinstated after abrupt removal

Centennial High School Principal Keith Wipperman has been reinstated after parents and students protested his removal this month.

In an email sent to Centennial parents on Wednesday, the Clark County School District said Wipperman would return as principal on Thursday.

The email came two weeks after Centennial staff were sent an email on Oct. 5 informing them that their principal had been “assigned to other duties.”

District officials said last week that they could not comment on Wipperman’s removal, citing a personnel matter and ongoing investigation.

In the wake of his removal, a dozen students and parents addressed School Board trustees at their meeting Oct. 13, saying the district had not been transparent about its reasons for removing the principal and asking for his reinstatement.

Centennial senior and class treasurer Zachary Schaumburg said students lined up outside the school at 5:45 a.m. Thursday to wait for their principal, cheering as he arrived back at the school building.

Schaumburg — who was one of the students who addressed the School Board last week about Wipperman’s removal — said he believes that students and parents raising their voices and taking their requests directly to district officials influenced Thursday’s outcome and Wipperman’s reinstatement.

“We’d like to all say thank you for giving us the time and to the School Board following through with this and listening to what we have to say,” he said.

The district said in its email to parents that it would continue its review of the situation “to finalize the process and will work with Wipperman to rectify the situation.”

Schaumburg said students will wait and see the results of the district’s process and continue fighting to keep Wipperman as principal.

“As of right now, I think we’re all just grateful to see Mr. Wipperman walking around campus,” he said.

Contact Lorraine Longhi at 702-387-5298 or llonghi@reviewjournal.com. Follow her at @lolonghi on Twitter.