Floyd Elementary principal resigns in wake of arrest

Von Sheppard, principal of Floyd Elementary School submitted a letter of resignation following his arrest on domestic battery charges at his home last month.

In a statement, Nye County School District Superintendent Dale Norton said the district was appreciative for the principal’s efforts during his brief tenure at Floyd.

“Nye County School District has received a letter of resignation from Von Sheppard, now the former principal at Floyd Elementary School,” Norton wrote. “Because this is a personnel matter, the district cannot comment in detail as to Mr. Sheppard’s present situation. The District can say that it has appreciated the hard work, dedication and service Mr. Sheppard brought to Floyd Elementary School, and that no children within the district have been harmed or placed in any type of danger during Mr. Sheppard’s service to the district. Special Education Services Director, Mr. Sam Simatos, will remain the interim principal at Floyd Elementary School while the district actively recruits highly qualified applicants for a committee to screen and interview to ultimately make a recommendation of hire to the superintendent.”

Von Sheppard was hired by the district last August following six years with the Boulder Valley School District, where his last position was assistant superintendent for school leadership.

Sheppard was also a high school principal in St. Paul, Minnesota from 2001 to 2005.

Sheppard was arrested at his Pahrump residence Dec. 30, after his fiancé called police to report a domestic battery incident allegedly committed by Sheppard that day and two days prior to his arrest.

Although the Nye County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges on Sheppard, he still remained behind bars for several additional days at the Nye County Detention Center on a parole and probation hold out of Jefferson County, Colorado.

Colorado court records show he pleaded guilty to DUI charges in 2011 and 2013.

He was eventually released last week.

During that time, Nevada Deputy Attorney General Tim Treffinger cited a lack of evidence to prosecute Sheppard but the office still has a year to file charges.

“Based on the all of the statements we received and at this time, we feel that we do not have enough evidence to support a conviction and that’s why the case was denied at this time.” Treffinger said.

Teachers and administrators are licensed by the Nevada Department of Education. The state has not returned emails or calls seeking comment on their licensing process in the Sheppard case.

Both Norton and district officials may want to dig deeper in the background of the next administrative candidate, as Sheppard was hired after pleading guilty to driving under the influence charges in 2011 and 2013 in Colorado.