Stonewall Jackson Middle School principal transfers

Stonewall Jackson Middle School Principal Ed Shepherd, who has led the Roanoke school since 2011, is no longer at the school's helm and is instead at William Fleming High School.

According to a letter that went home to parents Monday, Shepherd requested another assignment, and Bill Birdlebough, an assistant principal at James Madison Middle School, will serve as acting principal for the rest of the school year.

Birdlebough has been an assistant principal at James Madison since June. He had previously been an assistant principal at William Fleming since 2009. Prior to that he taught at James Breckinridge Middle School.

School system spokesman Justin McLeod said Shepherd is now at William Fleming, but did not say what position Shepherd assumed at the high school, citing the fact it was a personnel issue. He said staff at Jackson were notified of the change Monday morning, and parents were sent letters Monday afternoon.

Shepherd became the school's acting principal last school year and was named principal in July 2012.

McLeod said in an email that at this time officials are not filling the assistant principal position at James Madison vacated by Birdlebough and that the school board will take up the administrative changes at today's meeting.

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