Polk County Schools Gearing Up for Major Leadership Shake-Up This Fall

Winter Haven, Florida, USA - As summer rolls in, Polk County is gearing up for more than just sunshine and surf; a significant leadership shift is on the horizon for its public schools. Starting in August 2025, students at 19 public schools across the county will greet new principals, marking a slight decrease from the previous year when 20 schools transitioned to new leadership. The recent announcement has stirred quite the interest among parents and educators alike, with expectations high for these fresh faces.

The latest changes come as the district navigates through various transitions, including the retirement of a few seasoned leaders. Five of the new appointments are directly tied to retirements, while the others stem from current principals moving into district roles. Among the notable shifts, we’ve got three high schools welcoming new management, along with one middle school, fourteen elementary schools, and one K-8 magnet school. It seems there’s a bit of a ripple effect happening here!

Who’s New in the Leadership Chair?

At the high school level, Matt Blankenship will take the reins at Ridge Community High School in Davenport, stepping in to replace Angela Clark, who has accepted a position at the district level. Meanwhile, Chris Miller, the former principal at Wagner Elementary, is making a leap to Mulberry Middle School, taking over from Cindy Cangelose, who has also moved to a district role.

The elementary schools are seeing some exciting promotions too! Lori May is stepping up from assistant principal to lead Brigham Academy, succeeding Lynn Boland, who moves to a new district role. Jennifer Blackburn is experiencing a similar rise at Laurel Elementary, taking over from Rodrick Gray, who is also shifting gears to a district role.

Celebrating Excellence in Leadership

On an uplifting note, amid all these changes, Polk County Public Schools has highlighted the achievements of outstanding educators with the announcement of the Principals of the Year. Suzie Nelson from Chain of Lakes Elementary and Assistant Principal Stephanie Huber from Southwest Middle have bagged these accolades, selected from a competitive pool of finalists. This recognition not only shines a light on their hard work but also sets the stage for their potential recognition at the state level, as they will be considered for the Florida Department of Education’s Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year awards.

Nelson’s noteworthy achievements include leading initiatives to boost reading performance and implementing strategies tailored to meet individual student needs, which resulted in impressive gains in reading scores. Huber, on the other hand, has been pivotal in improving student discipline, drastically reducing referrals by 20%. Both have focused heavily on fostering supportive environments that prioritize both student and teacher engagement. Their efforts speak volumes, as they prepare to be honored at the upcoming PCPS Inspire Awards slated for November 8 at the RP Funding Center.

These transitions and celebrations together paint a vibrant picture of Polk County’s rich educational landscape, showing that while school leadership might be shifting, the commitment to nurturing both academic and personal growth remains steadfast. With new leaders at the helm, many are eager to witness how these changes will impact the school’s culture and academic performance in the coming school year.