Markham-Cousins to return for commencement

She's no longer principal at Washburn High School, but Carol Markham-Cousins will be making a cameo appearance at graduation next month.

That allows her to see off the crop of seniors who rose through Washburn under her tutelage, and gives the school some closure after her abrupt removal in April.

In response to a Star Tribune inquiry, the district said – after some confusion -- that Markham-Cousins's signature will appear on diplomas and that she speak at the ceremony.

She was replaced on an interim basis by Craig Vana, a retired district administrator who has no previous connection to the school. That raised the question of whose name would be on student diplomas.

Markham-Cousins is working as a principal on special assignment, assisting the associate superintendents on projects, according to district spokeswoman Rachel Hicks. Those include serving as one of the principal representatives on a five-year enrollment project. assisting development of a high school Spanish Immersion program, working on high school schedule changes, and doing teacher observations to help some schools complete teacher evaluations.

A list of principal assignments for next school year is expected to be publicized this week.