Barnhardt named principal at Bok Academy South in Lake Wales

Lake Wales Charter Schools has appointed April Barnhardt as principal of Bok Academy South.

Julio Acevedo had been serving as interim principal at the middle school following the resignation of Damian Rosado shortly before the start of the school year. The district's Board of Directors approved Barnhardt’s appointment at Monday’s meeting.

Barnhardt, 47, is a Lake Wales native and attended Hillcrest and Spook Hill elementary schools, McLaughlin Middle School and Lake Wales High School. She earned a softball scholarship to Polk State College and later played at the University of Mississippi, from which she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, the district said in a news release.

Barnhardt, who also holds an education specialist degree from Nova Southeastern University, has worked in the school district for more than 20 years. She taught at Lake Wales High and Janie Howard Wilson Elementary School before becoming an assistant principal at the latter school in 2012, according to the school district. More recently, Barnhardt has been assistant principal at Hillcrest Elementary School.

Rosado became the school’s principal in 2021 following the unexpected death of Damien Moses, the school’s leader since 2011.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Barnhardt named principal at Bok Academy South in Lake Wales