A little more than a month after a huge public outcry saved his job, Dave Carlson has resigned as principal of Whitefish High School.

Faced with the possibility of reassignment out of the high school, Carlson opted to resign.

He initiated a “separation agreement” that was approved by the Whitefish School Board on Monday.

The agreement requires the district and Carlson to keep details of the arrangement secret and pays him a full year’s salary of $86,263.

Carlson has been principal at Whitefish since 2009. He signed the separation agreement, which was drafted by an attorney for the school district, on Friday.

The school board in turn approved the deal on a 4-1 vote, with trustee Shawn Watts opposing, at a special board meeting Monday.  

Carlson will be paid the $86,263 buyout within 10 business days of signing the document. District Clerk Danelle Reisch said the district plans to pay Carlson using money saved in heating and snow removal costs.

In exchange, Carlson agreed not to make legal claims against the district. The legal agreement prevents the school district and Carlson from making public statements about the circumstances surrounding the buyout.

Carlson was in the spotlight on May 21 when Superintendent Kate Orozco recommended that his contract not be renewed.

That prompted a student reaction: a sit-in at the school was followed by more than 100 students turning out at a school board meeting to support their principal. Parents also lined up to support Carlson.

Faced with massive opposition, Orozco withdrew her recommendation and the board voted to retain Carlson.

“It meant everything that I had the support of the students and the community during that time,” Carlson said in a phone interview Tuesday.

Carlson said he plans to stay in Whitefish.

“Absolutely I plan on staying here. Part of the agreement when I moved here as principal was to become part of the community,” he said. “I love this community. Now I have time to heal and figure out my options.”  

Carlson has 14 years in education and 23 years working in the private sector. He was hired at Whitefish High School by then-Superintendent Jerry House.

Orozco could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com