MARSHALL — The principal of Marshall Middle School will be reassigned to a different administrative role within the Marshall Public School District.

On Monday, school board members approved Mary Kay Thomas being reassigned as coordinator of special projects for the 2021-22 school year, and Paula Wolter Mattson being hired as interim principal at MMS.

The reassignment and hiring of an interim middle school principal were both part of a number of personnel actions included for approval in the school board’s consent agenda at their regular meeting. In the same group of personnel actions, the board accepted the resignation of MMS Assistant Principal Tony Alberts effective July 15, and approved the hiring of Corey Boe as assistant principal effective Aug. 1.

MPS Superintendent Jeremy Williams said Thomas’ new duties will include coordinating several programs in the school district including Targeted Services and some Title grants, testing and data coordination, crisis planning, and coordinating MPS’s World’s Best Workforce and Achievement Integration plans.

“We are excited to work with her in this new role, and feel it is a good fit for her skill set and interests while filling a district need,” Williams said Monday.

According to materials in the school board’s agenda packet, Thomas’ pay as coordinator of special projects would be based on the 2021-22 Principals’ Association master agreement.

Thomas was placed on paid administrative leave in March. At the time, Williams said the move was due to an investigation being conducted by the school district. Marshall High School Principal Brian Jones was also named interim principal at MMS at that time.

Both Thomas and the school district were sued this spring by a group of Marshall area residents who claim a student’s First Amendment rights were violated. The lawsuit was filed after some community members spoke out against a rainbow LGBTQ pride flag was included in a display of flags in the MMS cafeteria in 2020. The lawsuit alleges an MMS student’s rights were violated when his petition to take down the rainbow flag was confiscated.

On Monday, Williams said Thomas’ reassignment to coordinator of special projects was not related to the lawsuit. Williams said he is also not able to comment on active litigation.