Granite High principal to take new job

The man who months ago was appointed to tow Granite High School from concept to academy-centered institution is leaving for a job at Murray School District — a move one community leader fears could be "the nail in the coffin" for the fledgling high school.

Granite High principal Rob McDaniel will take over as Murray District director of personnel and student services July 1. He will succeed retiring Martha Kupferschmidt.

McDaniel worked in Murray School District from 1998-2000, as Riverview Junior High assistant principal.

"He has lots of enthusiasm (and) he, I think, sees the big picture," Murray Superintendent Richard Tranter said. "We just feel really lucky to get him back."

McDaniel says he submitted his resignation to Granite School District Friday.

"Though I feel badly about leaving a community I like, ultimately I have to look at the future of my career, and Murray is a wonderful district. . . . So it's just kind of a more inconvenient timing than it is dissatisfaction," McDaniel said.

Still, South Salt Lake City Councilman Bill Anderson and his wife Connie Anderson, a member of the Granite High PTA and school community council, though they understand McDaniel's decision, fret over Granite's future.

"This could be the nail in the coffin," Bill Anderson said. "It's just another misstep in everything we're trying to do to fix Granite High School. It's another stumbling point, and how many times do you stumble before you just fall on your face?"

Granite High School was revamped to promote performing arts and careers academies, a newcomers program for immigrants, and to oversee the young parents and Central High alternative school programs. The change came in November, when the Granite Board of Education also voted to close two elementary schools in attempts to promote equity and balance enrollments. The community has expressed uncertainty as to whether Granite High could flourish in its new format.

McDaniel, praised for boosting student achievement and seeing through school reforms at Granite Park Middle School, was hired to take Granite's helm in January. He has worked to recruit students to stay at Granite, and has received grants allowing more class offerings. He is hopeful about the school's future.

"(What I'm) afraid of happening is people would think I was leaving either because I think the school doomed to fail or the district hasn't been supportive, and that couldn't be farther from the truth," McDaniel said. "I really hope that people understand these windows of opportunity don't come open very often."

Granite Superintendent Steve Ronnenkamp praised McDaniel's work, and said the district will search for a new principal to keep the high school on course.

"We're hoping people will look at what this can become, and the positive things that are there," Ronnenkamp said. "We hope kids will continue to commit to what they've registered for and we hope other students would look at Granite as an opportunity."

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