Bay High principal reassigned in wake of misdemeanor arrest

The Bay-Waveland School District is looking for a new principal at the high school.

The move comes in the wake of Amy Yarbrorough Necaise’s August arrest on misdemeanor shopping charges at Waveland Walmart.

Necaise is accused of taking $123 in items not scanned when she used the self-checkout during a trip to Walmart on Aug. 20. She turned herself in to police a few days later.

Necaise, who had been principal at Bay High since 2013, has been working remotely and will be re-assigned to a position as an academic strategist, managing academic programs and tracking students related to school accreditation.

That position would have to be approved by the school board.

Superintendent Sandra Reed told media partner the Sun Herald the move was made because the situation had become “chaotic” at the high school due to publicity over the arrest and an uproar on social media.

Reed said, “I really believe strongly that people are innocent until they are proven guilty. She has done a great job as high school principal.”

The district posted an advertisement for Bay High principal on its website Thursday.

Until a new principal is hired, Reed said assistant principals and the assistant superintendent would assume Necaise’s duties.