Eddie Echols, a popular principal at Riverwood International Charter School, resigned Friday after a routine audit showed that a school-issued American Express card was inappropriately used.
But the same audit showed that there was no evidence of a crime committed or money stolen from the Fulton County school.
“I am sure this announcement comes rather suddenly, but let me assure you that it is not due to anything involving the well-being of students or staff nor the school’s performance under his leadership,” Iris Moran, an instructional area superintendent, wrote in a letter to parents Tuesday. “I can tell you that a routine audit has revealed an inappropriate use of financial resources contrary to Fulton County policy. However, there is no evidence that there has been any loss of funds to the school.”
Fulton County School spokeswoman Samantha Evans told Channel 2 Action News that while there was no evidence that Echols broke the law, the audit revealed he had misused "several thousand dollars" during the 2008-2009 school year.
According to the audit released by Fulton County Schools, Echols used an unauthorized credit card to make both personal and school related purchases.
Purchases of food for staff were a frequent and common purchase type. Other items including a $150 gift card for a retiree, $109.58 purchase of ham and turkey breast from the Honey Baked Ham Company for an employee’s father's memorial dinner and multiple purchases of school supplies and equipment.
The purchases were found to have a requisition for purchase form attached and most receipts indicated the school purchase reason and proper amount.
But in doing so Echols violated two system-wide policies: co-mingling public of school-related funds with personal funds or checking accounts and using school property without the approval of the local board of education/governing board.
Echols had been at Riverwood for 20 years and served as principal for nine years. During his tenure, he helped make Riverwood one of the top schools in the area.
In 2011, the school ranked third in the state in the National High School Challenge Index, which measures how effectively a school prepares its students for college.
“That means we are an incredible school,” said Eric de Groot, president of the Riverwood Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises money for school programs. “He was the leader, but he was just one part of the success of the school."
While a search is on for a replacement for Echols, Dennis Kostulakos has been named interim principal.
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