Principal Lane Hill during the March 19 board meeting.

The Cullman City School Board and Cullman Middle School Principal Lane Hill have agreed to a settlement that will extend Hill’s contract for one final year.

In a special called meeting of the board Monday morning, school board attorney J.R. Brooks spoke about some of the details of the settlement, and said the contract renewal will have the same salary and terms of Hill’s current contract and is not renewable.

As part of the settlement, Hill entered his resignation effective June 30, 2020, and he will remain as principal of Cullman Middle School until that date.

The school board voted in February to not renew Hill’s contract, effective at the end of the 2018-2019 school year, in a 3-2 vote, with board members Chris Branham, Joey Orr and Lee Powell voting in favor of the motion and board members Suzanne Harbin and Jason Neal voting against.

That decision was met with a show of support for Hill from teachers at Cullman Middle School and community members during the board’s February and March meetings.

Cullman City School Superintendent Susan Patterson released the following statement at the end of the meeting:

“Sometimes it is best for the children and the community to resolve matters without contentious hearings. This is one of those times. Mr. Hill has resigned in order to retire effective June 30, 2020. I recommended and the Board agreed to accept his resignation. This makes it final. The Board and I look forward to a productive year. I believe the future is bright for Cullman Middle School.”