Vicksburg Warren School District Principal Rodney Smith will not return to his office at Warren Central High School when students return from Christmas break Jan. 5, Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Duran Swinford said Tuesday.

“He has been reassigned to the central office,” Swinford said. “He will be a ‘principal on assignment’ and continue to perform duties in the central office.”

Swinford said the issue is a “personnel matter” and she could not provide details.

Smith, who did not return a message left on his cell phone Tuesday, was placed on leave from his Warren Central position Nov. 10 for unspecified reasons. He returned to duties Dec. 6 but was told to report to the district offices on Mission 66, where Swinford said he was working on Power Point presentations and professional learning communities, and might be asked to research and analyze the possibility of the high schools returning to block scheduling.

The move was formalized Tuesday, said Swinford, but she did not know if it would continue until the end of the school year.

School board members were polled by telephone, she said, and are expected to formally ratify Smith’s reassignment at their Jan. 26 business meeting.

Smith was hired in 2009 to replace Pam Wilbanks, who retired. He will continue to be classified as a principal and his salary will not change, said the superintendent.

“Every principal has his strengths and weaknesses, and we feel Mr. Smith has certain strengths that we can put to good use at the central office,” she said. “We are trying out the position to see if it’s something we need or not.”

Jamie Creel, who was formerly assistant principal at Vicksburg High School, was named acting principal at WCHS when Smith was placed on leave. He has now been named interim principal, said Swinford.

Creel, a former baseball coach, was in his second year as an assistant principal and was promoted over other administrators in the district with more years of experience.

Swinford said he was chosen because he was felt to be the best match for the school, and that with what was expected to be a 15-day appointment, bringing him in avoided promoting and then demoting a Warren Central administrator should Smith have been returned to his position.

“He has come over and done an excellent job,” she said. “He’s got the faculty on board. We feel it’s been a good decision.”

Classes in the VWSD were released at midday Tuesday for Christmas vacation. Central office staff will return to work Jan. 3, teachers Jan. 4 and students Jan. 5.