Who's in charge at your school? 20 Polk schools have new principals. See who moved where
Though Antoinette Kirby is starting anew as principal at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland, many of her students will be familiar to her.
Kirby spent the past three years as principal at Lincoln Avenue Academy. That elementary school serves as a feeder to Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, along with Winston Elementary.
“And so half of the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders had me at Lincoln,” Kirby said. “So it’s a smooth transition, knowing the families and things like that.”
She added: “I'm excited to see how the students have grown, and to continue.”
Kirby’s move to Lawton Chiles Middle Academy is one of at least 20 changes of principals at public schools in Polk County heading into the start of the new academic year in August.
Kirby, 44, started with Polk County Public Schools in 2004 as a teacher at Kathleen Elementary School. She became an assistant principal at Auburndale Central Elementary School and was first named a principal in 2013 at Edgar L. Padgett Elementary in Lakeland.
Lincoln Avenue Academy offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, a curriculum framework that prepares students to take advanced classes at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy. The latter is one of four schools in the district that offer the IB Middle Years Programme, a pathway for enter IB programs at Bartow High or Haines City High.
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Kirby said that she is familiarizing herself with the expanded roster of elective classes that Lawton Chiles Middle Academy provides, though her previous school offered such electives as Spanish, art, creative writing and orchestra.
Here is a roundup of newly named principals:
High schools
In the only transitions at high schools, Alain Douge was appointed as principal at Lakeland High School, succeeding Arthur Martinez, who had led the school since 2014. Douge had served as principal at Davenport High School since it opened in 2021.
Haley Kish has been promoted from assistant principal to principal at Davenport High School, replacing Douge.
Middle schools
Diameshia Williams is the new principal at McLaughlin Academy of Excellence in Lake Wales.
Sheila Gregory shifts from Kathleen Middle School in Lakeland to Lake Gibson Middle School in Lakeland, and Bucky Day replaces her at Kathleen Middle.
James Monds takes the helm at Crystal Lake Middle School in Lakeland, and Dana Burns has been appointed at Jewett Middle Academy in Winter Haven.
Alissiea Wilder is scheduled for official appointment this month as principal at Daniel Jenkins Academy in Haines City.
Elementary schools
Jennifer Dettling shifts from Jesse Keen Elementary in Lakeland to Pinewood Elementary in Eagle Lake. Swanyetta Perry moves from Oscar J. Pope Elementary in Lakeland to replace Dettling at Jesse Keen Elementary. Jennifer Wiedenman fills the opening at Oscar J. Pope Elementary.
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Sarah Miranda moves from Crystal Lake Middle School in Lakeland to Snively Elementary in Winter Haven. Beth Smith, previously at Dixieland Elementary School in Lakeland, is now principal at Phillip O’Brien Elementary in Lakeland. Taryn Hardee succeeds Smith at Dixieland Elementary.
Amy Weingarth shifts from Highland City Elementary School to N.E. Roberts Elementary School in Lakeland. Charlie Huntley moves from Phillip O’Brien Elementary to Highland City Elementary.
Dorothy Ewing leaves N.E. Roberts Elementary to replace Kirby at Lincoln Avenue Academy.
Ashley Menetre is the new principal at Lena Vista Elementary School in Auburndale. Keila Pagan Cartagena takes over at Loughman Oaks Elementary School in Davenport.
The 2024-25 school year begins on Aug. 12.
Gary White can be reached at [email protected] or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.
Correction
An earlier version of this story omitted the new principals at Daniel Jenkins Academy and Davenport High School.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Who moved where? 20 Polk schools have new principals
