Leon County School District Announces New Principal Appointments

News Summary

The Leon County School District in Florida has unveiled key principal appointments for the upcoming school year, including the replacement of the retiring principal of Leon High School. Superintendent Rocky Hanna has recommended Scotty Crowe to lead Leon High, along with various other staffing changes across the district. The school board also approved a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at improving teacher transfers, with an increased staffing budget to tackle teacher shortages and retain staff amidst budget challenges.

Tallahassee, Florida – The Leon County School District has announced significant new principal appointments and staffing plans for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. Superintendent Rocky Hanna has made recommendations to the Leon School Board regarding these changes, which include a replacement for the retiring principal of Leon High School.

Michael Bryan, who has served as the principal of Leon High for five years, is set to retire in June. His successor, Scotty Crowe, currently the principal of Gilchrist Elementary and a veteran educator with 28 years in the district, will take charge of Leon High. Lisa Mehr, the former principal of Woodville K-8 School, will succeed Crowe at Gilchrist Elementary.

Additionally, Cari Molinaro, who has been serving as the assistant principal at Woodville K-8 School for the past year, has been appointed as the new principal of that school. Kerri Lamar-Anderson will take the reins at Griffin Middle School following a resignation tied to financial misconduct allegations. Logan Crouch has been named principal of Cobb Middle School, replacing William Millard, who held the position for two years.

Furthermore, the Leon County School District has appointed Sarah Hembree, the current director of recruitment and retention, as the new principal of SAIL High School. These appointments are part of a broader plan to revamp leadership roles within the district.

In addition to principal appointments, the Leon County School Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Leon Classroom Teachers Association (LCTA). This MOU is designed to improve the teacher transfer process. An Instructional Transfer Period will be established in spring, allowing teachers to apply for job openings for the next academic year aligned with staffing plans. Under this agreement, current principals cannot block teacher transfers unless there is a documented performance issue.

Budget considerations play a significant role in the district’s staffing plans. As the Leon County School District faces ongoing budget challenges, district officials will increase the staffing budget by over $6 million. For the next school year, the total staffing budget is projected at $207 million, with the majority, $106 million, allocated to elementary education. This increase aims to address a statewide teacher shortage and accommodate rising living costs for educators.

Although no major staffing changes are anticipated at this time, adjustments will be influenced by student enrollment numbers. A potential loss of approximately 481 students to private schools may have implications for state funding, making student retention a key focus for district leaders.

Moreover, the Leon County Schools have recently secured a $4 million salary increase package agreement. This agreement encompasses benefits such as paid sick leave and free childcare options for eligible staff members, effective from August of this year.

The district’s operations are also being shaped by external factors, including educational policies set forth by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and considerations regarding federal funding. Proposed changes from the federal education department could introduce disruptions for the district. Currently, about $70 million of the Leon County Schools’ budget relies on federal funding for various essential educational programs, including services aimed at low-income and special needs students. This funding supports crucial initiatives such as free lunch services and other educational supports for disadvantaged student populations.

As the Leon County School District prepares for the next school year, these principal appointments and staffing strategies highlight the district’s commitment to maintaining high educational standards and addressing staffing challenges within the state’s educational landscape.

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Additional Resources

• Tallahassee.com: New Principal Appointments
• Wikipedia: Leon County, Florida
• The Famuan: Teacher Transfers Approved
• Google Search: Leon County School District
• Tallahassee.com: Staffing Plan and Pay Increase
• Google Scholar: Leon County Schools Staffing Plan
• Tallahassee.com: Financial Impact on Schools
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Florida Education System
• Tallahassee.com: Griffin Middle School Principal Resignation
• Google News: Leon County School News