Hernando principal of year a ‘homegrown education hero’
By VINCENT F. SAFUTO
The students and staff at Weeki Wachee High School took center stage at the Hernando County School Board meeting Dec. 10 with principal Ed LaRose being honored as 2024-25 principal of the year.
Alexa Neal, assistant principal at Moton Elementary School, was named 2024-25 assistant principal of the year.
Gina Michalicka, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, led the ceremonies honoring LaRose and Neal.
She began with Neal and yielded to Robin Kidd, a fellow teacher at Moton, who said it was with great pride that Neal will be assistant principal of the year. Kidd read a letter from Principal Patty Martin, who could not attend the meeting.
Neal started as a teacher at Parrott Middle School and soon was working there as a reading coach, Martin wrote, and then she persuaded Neal to come to Moton.
“Her hard work and quality are truly rare qualities these days,” Martin wrote, adding,
“She has truly earned this recognition.”
Neal works hard to do her best for Moton, and Martin wrote she appreciated Neal’s work.
“I just want to thank everyone,” Neal said. “I am blessed to work at Moton. I do believe we have the best students and staff in the district.”
Michalicka then announced LaRose as the principal of the year, and he came to the podium amid cheers and the popping of celebratory indoor fireworks and confetti.
LaRose works hard and is dedicated to the students, faculty, staff and school, she said. He is a “homegrown education hero.”
He is a strong instructional leader and regularly presents to other principals in the district, and shares his campus with others to see highly effective practices at work, Michalicka said. He serves on multiple committees and helps new teachers, and is a warm, caring individual.
“I was that student here in Hernando County that needed a place, and school was it,” LaRose said. “I think it’s important that first they need to feel a place where they’re supported and we got their best interests in mind,” he said of students. “And the rest comes after that.”
LaRose said he’s often asked what it takes to be a good principal.
“I always say the same exact thing: Know your head custodian’s favorite college football team, and if you figured that out that means you take the time to talk to people,” LaRose said. “You’re taking the time to value everybody. It’s a simple formula but sometimes it’s a formula that we forgot.”
Know your people, identify best practices and putting them in place.
“There’s lots of decisions to be made in schools, but the students are the top decision at all times,” he said.