Settlement pending that would rescind Rice's suspension

A settlement appears to be imminent between Memorial Middle School Principal Tim Rice and the Laconia School District.

According to an attorney familiar with the negotiations, the school board and Rice have struck a deal that calls for the principal's suspension to be vacated contingent upon his agreeing to resign effective June 30. He reportedly will be paid for nine of the twenty-four months remaining on his contract and will receive accrued vacation pay and reimbursement for the cost of his health insurance which will be covered under COBRA.

A vote on the agreement is expected tonight when the board meets in special session on Harvard Street. Neither board members nor Mr. Rice would comment.

Rice was suspended by Superintendent Bob Champlin on Friday, April 29, the final school day before spring vacation. Champlin subsequently requested that Rice's contract, which still had over two years remaining, be terminated.

Rice immediately responded by requesting a public hearing before the school board on the suspension, vowing to dispel the allegations brought against him by Champlin. Those hearings began in earnest on Monday, June 6, with Champlin testifying for nearly four hours in support of his decision. A second hearing was held on Tuesday, June 7, which was also dominated by the direct examination of the superintendent, and that was followed by a third hearing on June 14, which afforded Rice's attorney the first opportunity to cross examine Rice's boss. That cross examination was expected to continue when hearings resumed.

Since then a number of tentatively scheduled hearings have been postponed, ostensibly because of scheduling conflicts. The latest indication was that hearings were expected to begin again on Wednesday, June 29.