Principal Dan Weakley of Liberty Middle School also will take a personal leave of absence for the remainder of the school year. The Liberty Board of Education on Monday accepted Weakley’s resignation and granted his request for leave.

Twelve-year-old Blake Kitchen suffered several injuries, including a cracked skull and a fractured jaw, in the Feb. 19 attack in the school’s cafeteria. The sixth-grader spent several days at a hospital and was later released.

A 14-year-old eighth-grader at the school admitted to the assault and was placed in the custody of the Missouri Division of Youth Services.