6 Pinellas schools to get new principals, with more to come
Six Pinellas County schools are getting new principals for the upcoming academic year.
Parents from one of those schools on Tuesday urged the school board not to make the change.
Saying their school had endured enough turmoil during the past year, parents from Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 called on the board not to replace Christopher Ateek, who has led the school for the past 16 years.
Madeira Beach Fundamental, which sits on the Gulf, was displaced for several months after Hurricane Helene flooded its buildings. Ateek’s removal after “this crazy year” is “ill placed,” parent Amy Stanton told the board during its special meeting. A handful of others spoke of how Ateek was the school’s heart and soul, while many emailed board members to share the sentiment.
Board members, who met Tuesday to confirm the appointments before the current year ends, said they appreciated the parents’ concerns about school leadership.
“These changes really matter,” chairperson Laura Hine said, calling principals the “captains of their ships.”
At the same time, they said, Superintendent Kevin Hendrick has the district’s best interest at heart, and they trusted him to make appropriate personnel changes. Still, board member Katie Blaxberg and others suggested that in the future, the district do a better job of explaining principal shifts.
“An email on a Thursday to say, ‘I’m not going to be back next year’ and not give an explanation, it sends everyone into a bit of chaos,” Blaxberg said.
The board ultimately approved the shifts, including:
Ateek will transfer from Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 to Pasadena Fundamental Elementary.
Mary Athanson will transfer from Meadowlawn Middle to Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8. Athanson has been a district educator since 2006.
Carmela Haley will transfer from Pinellas Gulf Coast Academy to Nina Harris Exceptional Student Education Center. Haley has been with Pinellas schools since 1994.
Carlmon Jones will transfer from John Hopkins Middle to Bay Vista Fundamental Elementary. Jones has worked in the district since 1999.
Donita Moody will transfer from Pasadena Fundamental Elementary to Azalea Elementary. Moody joined the district in 2003.
Michael Rebman will transfer from Azalea Elementary to North Shore Elementary. Rebman came to the district in 2005.
New principals have not yet been named for John Hopkins Middle or Meadowlawn Middle.
Nicole Wilson, the principal of Southern Oak Elementary, will transfer to become an assistant administrator of Pinellas Technical College. Southern Oak is merging with Walsingham Elementary to become a K-8 campus in the fall.
The board also approved 10 assistant principal shifts during its meeting Tuesday. Over three springs, Hendrick has replaced more than three dozen principals.
Jeffrey S. Solochek is an education reporter covering K-12 education policy and schools. Reach him at jsolochek@tampabay.com.