Harvard Elementary School parents are expected to protest at the HISD board meeting and demand answers after the principal was placed on leave

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Questions continued Thursday about why the principal of Houston ISD’s Harvard Elementary School was placed on leave just weeks into the new school year.

Parents received a letter Monday evening saying Dr. Shelby Calabrese was placed on leave pending an investigation.

Houston ISD did not provide any details about the sudden change, which has angered parents.

ORIGINAL STORY: Houston ISD places Harvard Elementary School principal on leave pending investigation, parents want answers

The letter states that principals can be placed on leave for poor performance, absenteeism or misconduct, but does not specify the reason for this in this case.

Some parents are even wondering if this has something to do with the district’s new education system.

In a statement to ABC13, HISD denied those claims and said the school is not a candidate for NES, but also said it could not comment on the investigation.

HISD’s statement also mentioned their expectations for employees:

“HISD cannot comment on the status of specific personnel matters or investigations. However, as a district, we are committed to building a high-performance culture for all of our staff that focuses on student achievement. As part of this culture, we expect our employees We expect every employee to respect the instructions of their superiors, and every employee knows that they must behave in a way that promotes the work of their school and the district. Based on our expectations, it is common practice to place them on leave while HR conducts an investigation into their conduct. We know that any change in leadership will have a disruptive impact on the school community, and we can assure the Harvard Elementary School community that there will be no changes to program offerings (e.g., IB) and given their track record of solid academic performance Harvard Elementary School is not a candidate for the new education system.”

On Thursday, parents plan to bring their concerns to the HISD school board meeting, which begins at 5 p.m