Three days after Superintendent Greggery Teel was arrested on suspicion of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, the White Pass School District announced the appointment of Angela Bowen as acting superintendent.
Bowen is the district’s business manager.
“As acting superintendent, Mrs. Bowen will handle the day-to-day operations of the district,” School Board President Joel McMahan stated in a Jan. 16 statement to families in the district. “She will also continue to handle the responsibilities of her business manager position.”
McMahan noted the appointment was temporary, but said it would allow the board to conduct an “active, thorough search” for an interim superintendent. He indicated the board was committed to sharing information about that search process to district parents and the local community.
In the meantime, Bowen will be tasked with the “multi-function” position.
“The board has high regard and confidence in Mrs. Bowen’s ability and capacity to assist our school by ‘standing in the gap’ alongside the board through this selection process,” McMahan wrote.
Teel was arrested Jan. 13 following a months’-long investigation by the Longview Police Department. The school district placed him on administrative leave later that day and removed his access to the building facilities.
According to Cowlitz County Jail records, Teel remained in custody as of Monday morning. Judge Patricia Fassett set his bail at $100,000 in Cowlitz County Superior Court on Jan. 14.
McMahan told The Chronicle on Monday that the district is still “looking for answers” regarding the investigation but said the office has received “nothing but an outpouring of support” from the community.
He added that the district is focusing on moving forward.
Read the latest on the criminal case here: https://www.chronline.com/stories/suspended-lewis-county-school-superintendent-had-been-under-investigation-since-april,394670
