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Hernando Today

New Team of Administrators Take The Helm

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By LINNEA BROWN

Hernando Today

Published: July 4, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - BROOKSVILLE - It's the start of a new era for Hernando High School.
Tuesday marked the official first day of work for the school's new team of administrators, who — while they had admittedly been working at the school several days prior — spent the day unpacking, interviewing potential new teachers and reviewing day-to-day procedures.
"Things are in disarray," said the school's new principal, Ken Pritz. "We're moving a lot of furniture, getting our feet wet."
Pritz, a former administrator who worked at the district office last year, is one of nearly two dozen administrators switched to new locations within Hernando County's schools, part of Superintendent Wayne Alexander's comprehensive reorganization plan.
With Hernando High's former principal, Betty Harper, reassigned to Deltona Elementary School, Pritz has inherited the task of straightening up Hernando High.
The school has seen its share of newsmakers in the past year, including a senior class prank involving a district postage machine, students caught with alcohol during a school-sanctioned trip and an indoors graduation ceremony that left some parents without seats.
However, Pritz said his first goal will be to improve the school's current grade as a "D" school, drawn from Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores. This year's school grades are set to be released July 15.
"First and foremost, we need to bring Hernando High off the D-list," he said. "We need to approach the school with the idea that every student has the ability to learn and every staff member has the responsibility of helping students be successful."
Pritz spent a decade teaching social studies at Hernando High before becoming assistant principal at Parrott Middle School and principal at West Hernando Middle School. Three of his sons have graduated from Hernando High, and the two youngest will be students there during the upcoming school year.
In addition to the school's low grade, Pritz has also made policy changes that address many of the issues that made headlines.
Regarding the senior prank in late May — in which several of the school's graduating seniors used a school postage machine to mail fictitious letters and condoms to parents of the school's sophomores — he said he has changed the school's procedure for mail.
"The machine will be in a locked room under the management of one secretary, and all mail will be inspected before it goes out," he said. "The stamp machine won't be at the front desk anymore, that's for sure."
In late April, officials questioned the future of Grad Bash, an annual class trip to Orlando, after as many as 14 Hernando High seniors were sent home after being caught with alcohol.
Pritz said he has already met with representatives of the 2009 senior class and expressed reservations about the trip. While they submitted a plan for changes that will make the trip more "palatable," he said, he is still thinking the plan over.
He has also made changes to the school's athletic leadership, including hiring a new football coach. He is currently in the process of hiring a new basketball and baseball coach, as well.
Last, but not least, the 2009 graduation ceremony will be held outside — a decision Pritz made during a School Advisory Council meeting several months ago, prior to the graduation fiasco that occurred in early June.
"Three of the other high schools can (hold graduation ceremonies) outside, so there's no reason Hernando High can't do it, as well," he said.
Now, Hernando High's assistant principals include three of Pritz' former colleagues: Brent Gaustad, who transferred from Springstead High School; Jill Renihan, who transferred from West Hernando Middle; and Mary Krabel, who ended her 2006 retirement to accept the position.
"I think we're going to make a great team," he said. "We all have to get used to a new environment, but we've all worked together before. That's the easy part. The tough part is going to be dealing with (everything else)."
While the Hernando High administrative team was in full swing Tuesday, many of the district's other administrators were either on vacation or attending a conference in Orlando.
As part of Alexander's plan, revealed in late March, roughly one-third of the district's principals and assistant principals have been reassigned to other schools. That is an unprecedented move in Hernando County, where many administrators have spent decades at one school, establishing it as "theirs."
Other switches include Deltona's previous principal, Beverly Chapin, who has moved to Eastside Elementary School, and Eastside's previous principal Toni-Anne Noyes, who has moved to West Hernando Middle School. West Hernando's previous principal, Joe Clifford, has moved to J.D. Floyd K-8, and J.D. Floyd's previous principal, Marcia Austin, has switched to a district position.
Powell Middle School's former principal, Thomas "Earl" Deen, has switched positions with Pine Grove Elementary School's former principal Dave Dannemiller.
Alexander has said the switch is based on promoting district unity and spreading ideas between schools, rather than growing stagnant. He has also said administrators can expect switches in future years.
Legally, the superintendent has the power to move people between schools whenever he sees fit. The school board can only approve or disapprove proposals that affect the budget.

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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