Cedar Shoals High School Principal Tony Price has been placed on administrative leave as an internal investigation continues into school officials' handling of an alleged sexual assault on school grounds Jan. 7.

District administrators have said school-level officials erred by not immediately disciplining three students who were arrested Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 on charges that they raped a 15-year-old classmate in a stairwell three weeks earlier, and by not informing teachers, parents and students until news hit the papers and TV.

Monica Gant, executive director of secondary education, will serve as "lead administrator" until an interim principal is chosen, Superintendent Phil Lanoue said in an email to Cedar Shoals employees and parents.