Five Cove Creek Elementary School employees were suspended and one was fired earlier this month for what a school official said was a violation of a school system policy.

Teachers Hope Combs, Christy Laws and Cynthia Townsend were suspended without pay for 30 days, effective Feb. 9, said Marshall Gasperson, Watauga County Schools' human resources director.

Cafeteria worker Jeanice Dollars also was suspended without pay for 30 days effective Feb. 10, Gasperson said.

Teacher Laura Combs was suspended indefinitely without pay effective Monday, Gasperson said.

School nurse Tracie Combs was released by Watauga County Schools, he said.

Gasperson said he could not reveal any further details about the reasons for the suspensions and release due to personnel confidentiality laws.

“It had nothing to do with children; it had to do with board policy,” he said.

Interim Superintendent Dick Jones said Monday, before the decision was made on Laura Combs' status, that there was no intentional misconduct among the classroom staff members that were suspended without pay.

“They're competent professionals, and it's just an unfortunate situation,” he said. “We want them back as quickly as possible.”

The situation began with concerns that Principal Toby Cone took to the school district, Gasperson said. He said the matter was thoroughly investigated and he did not expect any more suspensions to occur.

Shortly after the personnel decisions were made, Laura Bland Combs was served a warrant Feb. 16 for simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance, a misdemeanor, according to court records. Combs unlawfully possessed hydrocodone, a medication commonly used to treat pain or soothe coughs, the document stated.

She was released with a written promise to appear in court April 17.

None of the others were facing criminal charges as of Tuesday, according to court records, and it's not clear whether Laura Combs' suspension is related to the charge.

Parents were informed of the staff changes through letters, both from Cone and from the teachers who chose to write their own messages, Gasperson said.

“We've been forthcoming with the parents with what we can be forthcoming with,” he said.

Gasperson said he spoke to the teachers Monday and offered them an opportunity to speak with the Watauga Democrat, but none replied by press time Tuesday.

The suspensions come at a tough time for students, who are facing end-of-grade testing in just a few months.

Gasperson said the school system is ensuring that certified teachers are chosen as substitutes and that the suspended teachers are providing in-depth lesson plans.

“They will continue, through email, to work with the principal to ensure that we close any gaps that there might be and that we provide the quality instruction for students,” Gasperson said.