Jim Moll to Stay as Interim Principal at Royal Oak High School

will remain as interim principal at through the next school year.

Royal Oak's school board voted Thursday night to continue to fill the vacancy that opened when in December for "the possibility of financial irregularities in student activities funds." Greening, who faces felony embezzlement charges, , effective June 30.

Moll, who served in the Birmingham Public Schools district for more than 38 years before retiring and coming to Royal Oak High School in January, will fill the job from July 1 to June 30, 2013, the entirety of the upcoming school year.

“Since January, Mr. Moll has provided poised leadership for the high school through a time of uncertainty. His leadership has been calm, principled, and student-centered," Superintendent Shawn Lewis-Lakin said. "Staff members, students, and community members have expressed confidence in him. I am confident that ROHS will continue to move forward under his leadership."

Meanwhile, Lewis-Lakin announced the district is preparing a process to develop a leadership profile for a new principal.

"After this process, a search for a new ROHS principal will be initiated, with the goal of having a new principal identified for the 2013-2014 school year on or before April 15, 2013, so as to provide for an orderly transition," Lewis-Lakin said.

Board President Gary Briggs expressed his confidence. "I think Mr. Moll has come in here and done a phenomenal job for us under circumstances that were difficult," he said. "I am glad he's going to stick it out with us for a little bit more."

For Moll, the reason to stay one more year is the students.

"The stuff that put me over the top and had me saying yes was the daily feedback I got from kids – the pats on the back and the high fives in the halls – and seeing the joy that comes from being a high school student," Moll said. "It reinforced my thought that I had to take advantage of this nice offer and hang out for one more year."