By Shereen Siewert
STEVENS POINT — A former Stevens Point elementary school principal is under investigation amid allegations of misconduct, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Scott Huff, who was principal at Jefferson Elementary in Stevens Point, resigned under fire in December after district officials informed him he would be fired. He is accused of violating Stevens Point Area Public School District policies on restraining students. Huff was placed on paid leave in November and resigned in December.
The allegations were first reported on in December by the Stevens Point Journal.
A DPI spokesman declined to comment on the specifics of the investigation.
Under Wisconsin law, school districts are required to report investigations and complaints to DPI. The state agency then has the option of launching an investigation of its own.
The Stevens Point investigation determined that Huff, who was employed by the district for about five months before his resignation, did not follow district policies related to supervising and restraining students and did not respond to calls for help with a student experiencing behavioral issues.
In a letter included in the district’s report, Huff stated he was unfamiliar with district procedures and was unaware of any calls for help. He also said he was unaware he made staff members uncomfortable and said he was resigning due to the stress of the position.
Mike Devine is serving as the interim principal at the school through the end of the academic year.
Huff risks losing his teaching license, depending on the outcome of the state investigation.
