Mystery surrounds leave of Bettendorf Principal

Bettendorf school officials won’t say why the high school principal has been put on paid leave.Tom Castle, who has been principal at Bettendorf High since 1991, has been on leave since Wednesday. School superintendant John Perdue says he can’t discuss the matter because it1s a personnel issue. But he says there is no criminal investigation, and students are not at risk. Castle came to Bettendorf from Valley High School in West Des Moines, where he served as assistant principal from 1985 to 1991. He was known for two programs he started in Bettendorf. One recognizes students for their achievement if they raise their grade-point average at least half a point – no matter how low it was to start. The other allows students to earn school letters in academics the way they can in athletics.