www.eagletimes.com
www.eagletimes.com
Criminal case pending for new assistant principal By KATY SAVAGE ksavage@eagletimes.com SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — A newly hired assistant principal in the Springfield School District was arrested last fall for simple assault and criminal mischief, according to court records. Records state Madeline Carlock, 32, “recklessly” damaged her mother’s vehicle by puncturing the tires and kicked a Lebanon police officer in the leg and the chest on Oct. 16. Carlock was hired last week as assistant principal at both Elm Hill and Union Street schools. She was hired with a $75,000 salary and would be split her time between both schools. Superintendent Zach McLaughlin said he knew about the court case when contacted Thursday evening but declined to comment, explaining he was still reviewing records. Attempts to reach Carlock and her mother, Janet Stephenson, on Thursday evening were unsuccessful. Springfield School District board chair Ed Caron did not return phone calls Thursday. On Friday, Carlock’s attorney, New Hampshire Public Defender Adam Hescock, declined to comment. Carlock is currently an instructional assistant in the Hartford School District. She works with teachers and principals in an administrative-like role to improve education. Before she was hired in Springfield, Carlock was offered a job as interim principal at Cavendish Town Elementary School last month. Carlock turned the position in Cavendish down, explaining the community didn’t support the interim role. Carlock was picked among 19 applicants for the Springfield position. McLaughlin said Carlock’s background and skills seemed like a “natural fit” for the role after she was hired. Carlock graduated with a master’s degree in school administration from Southern New Hampshire University in 2014. She has experience teaching first grade through fifth grade, according to her resume. Carlock admitted to the charges in October,a ccording to court records. She had applied for short-term disability and was on family medical leave at the time of her arrest, court records state. Carlock asked for an amendment to a bail condition last October which required her to not make contact with her mother and stay 100 feet away. Carlock explained in writing that she lived with her mother and the condition was causing “extreme hardship,” according to court records. Carlock explained she had a medical condition and could not live alone. “Outside of this errant offense, my mother and I have a close, positive relationship,” Carlock said in writing. Carlock was required to go to mental health counseling. She was ordered to pay $600 in restitution to her mother and she was placed probation for a year. On April 2, Carlock asked for a 30-day continuance to complete application requirements for the Halls of Hope mental health program in Lebanon. A status conference for Carlock’s case is scheduled in April 2019.
