Back to school: 14 new principals in Lee County schools. Here's who they are
With a new school year comes leadership changes for the Lee County School District.
Curious about who the new principals are this year? Here are the changes for the 2023-2024 school year.
Cape Coral High
Ryan Jackson, former assistant principal of Oak Hammock Middle School. He has worked in the district for 17 years. He has been a teacher, baseball coach, administrator and for the past nine years has served as an assistant principal. He's worked at Ida Baker High School, Diplomat Middle, Hancock Creek Elementary and Oak Hammock Middle. He was named Assistant Principal of the Year in 2018.
Paul Lawrence Dunbar Middle
Karen Prentice, former assistant principal at Three Oaks Middle. She has been with the district for 18 years. She's been a teacher, academic coach, ELA coordinator, assistant principal and principal. She's worked at Lehigh Senior High, Dunbar High, East Lee County High, South Fort Myers High, Cypress Lake High, Cape Coral High, Varsity Middle, Three Oaks Middle and Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle. She was a Golden Apple recipient in 2002.
Fort Myers High School
Christian Engelhart, former principal at Cape Coral High. He's worked for the district for 18 years. He's been an ESE teacher, assistant principal and principal. He's worked at Varsity Lakes Middle, Cape Coral High and Fort Myers High.
Fort Myers Middle Academy
Brian Gibson, former principal at Lehigh Acres Middle. Has worked for the district for 12 years. He's been a behavior specialist, assistant principal and principal. He's worked at Gateway Elementary, River Hall Elementary, Diplomat Middle, Cypress Lake Middle, East Lee County High, Lehigh Acres Middle and Fort Myers Middle Academy.
Franklin Park Elementary
Mia German, former assistant principal at Franklin Park Elementary. She has worked for the district for 12 years. She's been a kindergarten teacher, Teacher Incentive Fund teacher, intervention support specialist and assistant principal. She's worked at Ray V. Pottorf Elementary, the Early Childhood Center and Franklin Park Elementary. She was a Golden Apple recipient in Collier County in 2009.
Lehigh Acres Middle
Michelle Freeman, former principal at Franklin Park Elementary.
Lehigh Senior High
Darya Grote, former assistant principal at Fort Myers High. She has worked in the district for 26 years. She's been an English teacher, coach, advisor, team lead, district committee leader, assistant principal and principal. She's worked at Cape High, Caloosa Middle, Mariner High, Fort Myers High and Lehigh Senior High.
Manatee Elementary
Scott LeMaster, former principal at Varsity Lakes Middle. He's worked for the district for 19 years. He's been an assistant principal and principal. He's worked at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts, Lehigh Acres Middle, G. Weaver Hipps Elementary, River Hall Elementary, Tortuga Preserve Elementary, Varsity Lakes Middle and Manatee Elementary.
North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts
Andrew Miller, former assistant principal at G. Weaver Hipps Elementary.
Pinewoods Elementary
Akiya Maston, former assistant principal at Veterans Park Academy for the Arts. She has worked for the district for one year, the previous 17 years were spent in Orange County Public Schools.
San Carlos Park Elementary
Monica Stevens, former assistant principal at J. Colin English Elementary. She started teaching in the district in 1998. She has been a teacher, math coach, teacher leader and assistant principal. She has worked at Cape Elementary, Skyline Elementary, Ray V. Pottorf, Lehigh Acres Middle School, Manatee Elementary and J. Colin English Elementary.
The Sanibel School
Jennifer Lusk, former assistant principal at The Sanibel School. She has worked for the district since 2004. She has been a teacher, an intervention support specialist and assistant principal at Lehigh Elementary for four years.
Spring Creek Elementary
Jillian Fiora, former assistant principal at Colonial Elementary. Has worked for the district for over 15 years. She's been a teacher, mathematics coach and assistant principal. She's worked at Rayma C. Page Elementary, Bonita Springs Elementary and Colonial Elementary.
Varsity Lakes Middle
Chevoneese Anderson Thomas, former assistant principal at Island Coast High School.
More: FAST scores out: Less than half of Lee County students reading at or above grade level
More: Lee County students struggling in high school now have alternative option to graduate
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: What schools in Lee County have a new principal? There are 14.
