The St. Helens school district announced the resignation of St. Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner two weeks ago, but Wagner will not officially part from the district until the end June.

Facing felony charges for allegedly failing to report the sexual abuse of students at SHHS, Wagner agreed to resign from her position April 18, according to the school district. Her resignation agreement with the district stipulates that the separation will not be effective until June 30, when the first year of her existing three-year employment contract was originally set to conclude. Wagner has been the principal at SHHS since 2018.

Until June 30, Wagner will remain on paid administrative leave, which has been her status since Nov. 15. According to her employment contract, Wagner makes approximately $13,353 monthly based on her annual salary of $160,244. The district will also continue to pay the employer portion of Wagner’s insurance premiums through Dec. 31.

Cleaning house

Wagner is the at least the third employee to be fired by or resign from the St. Helens school district in the wake of a sexual abuse scandal blown open by the November arrests of former SHHS teachers Eric Stearns and Mark Collins for alleged sexual abuse against students.

Former Superintendent Scot Stockwell resigned in March and was paid the equivalent of one year’s worth of his 2024-25 monthly salary as a lump sum as well as for unused vacation days. The total sum amounted to $228,629. The district is currently in the process of finding a new superintendent.

Former SHHS choir teacher Eric Stearns was fired Feb. 5 on grounds of immorality, neglect of duty and causes which would provide grounds for the revocation of Stearns’ teaching license — which are among nine grounds for dismissal of contract teachers enshrined in Oregon state law. Stearns has been arrested twice for alleged sexual abuse and is currently incarcerated in the Columbia County jail, where he awaits trial for 29 counts of sexual abuse crimes.