Norwich - Two parents of students at the Thames River Academy hope to rally support for the school and Principal Edward Derr, who was placed on administrative leave Thursday.

Jerry Browning, chairman of the new Thames River Academy School Governance Council, said he was at the school office when Derr received a phone call from the superintendent asking to meet with him and canceling classes for students on Friday. Retired Robert E. Fitch High School Principal Robert Bacewicz was named acting principal.

"That really sparked a lot of questions," Browning said of the sudden move. "I sort of put two and two together and realized something was going to happen with him. They couldn't give me too many details."

Derr was placed on paid leave for undisclosed personnel reasons. The action came as school officials await a state-ordered program audit of the alternative high school that studied curriculum, staffing, student performance and conditions at the school.

Browning and fellow governance council member Cynthia Chabotte will meet with Abby Dolliver, the schools superintendent, this morning to offer their ideas for helping to support the school. The two are the only parental members of the newly established state-mandated governance council, which should have seven parents as voting members.

Browning also hopes to establish a PTO and will seek community support for programs and extracurricular activities.

Browning and Chabotte's children, Dean Browning and Andrea Chabotte, are trying to revive the student council at the school.

All four supported Derr as a proactive, dynamic principal who tried to work with troubled students, showing them a genuinely positive attitude if a firm hand.

Jerry Browning spends one to three days a week volunteering at the school. He said many elements are lacking. Students there have many problems at home, but the school only has a part-time social worker. Family tragedy or disruption often interferes with school work, he said, and Derr routinely monitored police reports for incidents involving his students or their families.

Cynthia Chabotte said Thames River doesn't get the support it needs from school officials.

"They're not doing things the way they should be done," Chabotte said. "It's not Mr. Derr's fault. He's a scapegoat, because he's in charge of the school. He's been trying to work and get things square."

Both parents are worried that Norwich or the state could close Thames River Academy. The school has 79 students and a budget of $800,000. Because of the small numbers and academic difficulties of its students, the school routinely fails to make adequate yearly progress, which is measured by the Connecticut Academic Performance Test.

Dolliver said she could not comment on Derr's situation because it is a personnel matter. But she said she is not recommending closing the school.

She declined to discuss staffing at the school, because the program audit report is expected to be released within a week and will address those issues.

Dolliver welcomed increased parental involvement, however, and called Browning "very energetic and passionate." They had arranged to meet today even before Derr was placed on leave.

The students said they didn't understand why Derr was replaced so suddenly.

"Everyone I know was asking about it," Andrea Chabotte said. "We're just wondering why they took our principal away. He's a nice person. He's very stern to students, but he is a very kind and caring person. Why would they take our principal away from us?"

c.bessette@theday.com

How to help

Jerry Browning, parent of a Thames River Academy student, is seeking parents, business leaders and community members to help support programs at the school. Contact him at kryptoman102@yahoo.com for information or to volunteer.