Manatee County principal got tested for COVID-19 and returned to work. Now he’s on leave
The principal of Kinnan Elementary School was possibly exposed to COVID-19 the week before he got tested and returned to work. He then received a positive test result and was placed on administrative leave, according to documents obtained by the Bradenton Herald.
Principal Paul Hockenbury publishes a weekly newsletter to his staff, and the most recent edition of the Kinnan Comet’s Tale appears to contain a message from the school leader. The brief update, sent to school employees on Sunday, describes an incident that unfolded days before the return of students on Aug. 17.
Hockenbury could not be reached for comment.
“I was informed Friday night that I was being suspended without pay for the next five days,” the newsletter states. “This is due to a violation of a district procedure put into place on 8/10. More specifically, I came to work for two days after being tested for COVID after work on 8/12. I did not have symptoms but could have possibly been exposed the week prior. District policy states not to come into work if you are waiting on test results.”
“I was focused on school being ready to open and was shocked to receive a positive result on 8/16 as I still did not have any of the common symptoms associated with COVID,” it continues. “I apologize for my actions and should have obeyed district policy. I do not agree with my punishment.”
According to a notice sent to school employees on Aug. 16, there was “a confirmed case of COVID-19” on campus, along with a “small number of direct exposures” to the infected person.
Another email, sent to Kinnan employees on Monday morning, said that Assistant Principal Todd Blackmore would be the “administrator in charge until further notice.” The email was written by Mike Rio, the executive director of elementary education.
District spokesman Mike Barber confirmed that Hockenbury was on administrative leave and that Blackmore was in charge as of Wednesday afternoon. He declined to comment further, citing a federal law on private health information.
Hockenbury is a longtime employee of the school district. He began as a teacher in 1998 and became the principal of Kinnan Elementary in 2016, according to his LinkedIn account.
This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 3:46 PM.