TYLER — UPDATE:
Tyler ISD sent issued a statement to CBS19.
"Tyler ISD begins preparations in the spring for the upcoming school year. A full administrative staff at the campus is needed to ensure a smooth transition from one school year to the next. When available, new leadership begins working at their new assignment to lead and coordinate the transition process."
Principal Jonathan Kegler has been the principal at Peete Elementary for the last three years.
For three years prior to his arrival, Peete Elementary's accountability rating was "improvement required."
They didn't meet standards on student achievement, closing performance gaps, or postsecondary readiness.
For 2016 and 2017, the school's rating is now, "met standard."
According to a Facebook post, Kegler recently accepted a job at The Brook Hill School as the lower school principal for the next school year.
But instead of being allowed to finish out the school year with his students at Peete, Tyler ISD moved him to John Tyler High School for the last two weeks.
On Tuesday morning, parents and students gathered at the school to protest the move and collect signatures on a petition to bring him back.
“Mr. Kegler is a transformational person. He is called to be one of those people who sometimes change the directions of people’s lives, sometimes people’s schools," parent Crystol Watson said at the protest.
Kegler's son is a 5th grader at Peete.
He said he just wants his dad there for his last few weeks in elementary school.
“It’s very sad to me. Because I would like to finish the year out with him, being my last year, so I don’t like it,” Jameson Kegler said.
Other students agree, saying that Mr. Kegler is a wonderful principal.
He always gives high fives, and encourages the students to do their best.
“He was a good principal. He always, during tests he would come in the class and give us pats on the back and encourage us telling us we can do it," Mia Fraire, a fifth grader at Peete said. "And it helps us get our grades up.”
Her mother, Andrea Garcia, echoes that, and said she just wants Kegler to be able to giver her daughter one last high five as she walks across the stage and graduates from Elementary school.
"He helped them get here, instead of somebody reading off a piece of paper, and not knowing exactly how hard they worked to get to this point. So I would rally love for him to come back and finish fifth grade graduation with these kids.”
“I’m pretty upset, Garcia said.
Kegler wasn't available for interview, but did issue a statement to CBS19.
"I am deeply saddened by the events that have taken place over the last few days. The students at Peete Elementary deserve to finish the year with their leader in place! My number 1 goal when I was hired to lead Peete Elementary to leave it better than I found it and to plant a seed of empowerment within the heart/soul of the students, staff and stakeholders to have a voice about their education. The last two days have been humbling to say the least and confirmation that the goal has been attained!!! Our motto over the three years has been WIN THE DAY and it saddens me that I won’t get the opportunity to encourage my Peete family to end the 2017-18 school year The Wildcat Way!!!”