https://archive.triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/highlands-school-district-reassigning-building-principals-thursday/
Highlands School District reassigning building principals Thursday
The Highlands School District is making changes in the leadership at its schools.
New principal assignments are set to take effect Thursday, according to the district.
In a letter going home with students today, the district says it hopes to establish firmer academic foundations for its students, improve school culture and climate in the schools, and bring a K-12 perspective to the district's planning and preparation.
“This work must start now and not at the end of the school year,” Superintendent Michael Bjalobok said. “It is essential to bring a K-12 perspective to all of our schools and not separate our programs as elementary, middle and high school. Any of our principals should be able to step in at any building level and continue to improve all of our school programs.”
There are no changes in any of the affected employees' compensation or benefits, district spokeswoman Jennifer Goldberg said.
The reassignments are:
Highlands High School
Fawn Primary Center Principal Shawn Bennis and middle school Principal Charlie Mort will become co-principals of Highlands High School.
Bennis was formerly a high school assistant principal.
Becky Bragan will remain at the high school as dean of students.
Highlands Middle School
Kimberly Price, currently high school co-principal, will become principal of Highlands Middle School.
Deborah Beucker will remain as the assistant principal.
The district is looking for a dean of students and an in-school police officer for the middle school.
Elementary schools
At the elementary level, Dan Gottron, current high school co-principal, will become co-principal of Grandview Upper Elementary with Cathy Russo.
At Fawn, Samantha Perlik, a former Fawn kindergarten teacher and assistant principal at Grandview, will return to Fawn as principal.
Principal Heather Bigney will remain at Fairmount Primary Center.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BCRittmeyer.
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