Parents at Harvard Elementary expected to protest at HISD board meeting after principal put on leave

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Questions continue to swirl Thursday about why Houston ISD's Harvard Elementary School principal was put on administrative leave just weeks into the new school year.

Parents received a letter on Monday night stating Dr. Shelby Calabrese was put on leave amid an investigation.

Houston ISD did not provide any specifics about the sudden change, which has left parents feeling upset.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Houston ISD puts Harvard Elementary principal on leave for investigation, parents want answers

Harvard Elementary School Principal Shelby Calabrese is under investigation by the school district, but no one is saying why.

The letter states that principals can be put on administrative leave for poor performance, absenteeism, or misconduct, but it did not state the reason in this case.

Some parents even question if this has anything to do with the district's New Education System.

In a statement to ABC13, HISD denied those claims, saying the school is not a candidate for NES while also saying they cannot comment on the investigation.

HISD's statement also mentioned their expectations of employees:

"HISD cannot comment on the status of any specific personnel issue or investigation. However, as a District, we are committed to building a high-performance culture focused on student achievement for all our employees. As part of the culture, we expect our employees to show up for their scheduled workday. We expect every employee to respect the directives of their supervisors, and every employee knows they must conduct themselves in a way that advances the work of their school and the District. When any employee fails to meet these basic expectations, it is standard practice to put them on leave while HR completes an investigation into their behavior. We know any transition in school leadership feels disruptive to the school community, and we can assure the Harvard Elementary School community that there are not going to be changes to program offerings (e.g. IB), and given its track record of solid academic performance, Harvard Elementary School is not a candidate for the New Education System."

On Thursday, parents plan to take their concerns to the HISD school board meeting, which begins at 5 p.m.