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Bradford High principal hired
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| By: Mark J. Crawford, Editor |
August 07, 2009 |
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Bradford Superintendent of Schools Beth Moore announced this week that she has hired a new principal for Bradford High School.
Doug Thoburn comes to Bradford from Sebring in Highlands County where he was most recently coordinator of career technical education. He is a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force with a master's degree from the University of Oklahoma.
He furthered his experience in other graduate programs, becoming certified as a secondary school principal and as a public school superintendent, as well as in educational leadership.
Moore said Thoburn has prior experience as a principal, assistant principal and in the classroom.
Moore said the new BHS principal will be moving to Bradford County with his wife and son.
"I think he is just what we need for Bradford County," the superintendent said, adding she believes he will work well with parents, students, faculty and the community at large.
That was one of the things Moore said she was seeking in a principal for Bradford High. She was also looking for a motivational personality who sets high expectations and has the leadership qualities to help the school achieve those goals.
"He's just that motivational person I think we've been looking for," Moore said.
Moore said around 20 applications for the high school post were submitted. The pool was narrowed by looking at experience and checking references. She said Thoburn came highly recommended by his previous employers.
She was also impressed by his variety of experience, including high school administration, community college and career technical education.
"I think we can pull together all of those good things for students to offer them the beneficial things that they need," Moore said.
Not including reassignments or substitutes who were hired on full time, the district has hired around 10 new teachers and a handful of new noninstrucational employees.
Faculty will gather Wednesday, Aug. 19, for the district's annual preplanning meeting. The Bradford County Education Foundation will be serving breakfast at the high school beginning at 7:30 a.m., then everyone will gather in the auditorium for the meeting. Former superintendent from Gilchrist County Buddy Vickers will be the guest speaker.
Moore said Vickers led his district to an A, and "Aiming for an A" will the theme of this week's administrator's retreat and the preplanning meeting on Aug. 19.
A vendor fair will take place during the BCEF breakfast. Moore said any vendor wishing to participate can get in touch with the district by calling 904-964-6800.
Other administrative assignments
While there are still instructional and noninstrucational positions to be filled, the hiring of Thoburn completes the administrative slate. The changes for 2009-10 result largely from moving administrators from one school to another and also placing some into the recently created behavioral resource teacher positions.
Then there is the case of Hampton and Brooker elementary schools. Leadership of both schools will be taken over by Hampton Principal Rick Stephens, while former Brooker Principal Lynn Melvin is taking over at Starke Elementary. Former Starke Principal Christy Reddish is taking over a coordinator position at the career technical center.
Ernest Williams, who was promoted to principal at Bradford Middle School toward the end of the previous school year, will continue in that position, and Bill McRae and David Tew will continue leading at Southside Elementary and Lawtey Community School.
The Renaissance Center, which was moved to the career center campus in the middle of the last school year, will now be overseen by the career center's director, Randy Starling.
Jason Jennings spent a year over the Renaissance Center. He will now be the behavioral resource teacher at Hampton and Brooker elementary schools. These BRT positions were created to help implement the school district's new Positive Behavior Support program and several replace former assistant principal positions.
The other BRTs are Brenda Donaldson at Starke Elementary, Steve Frandle at Southside Elementary, Virginia Anfinson at Lawtey Community School (also an ESE teacher), Chad Farnsworth at Bradford Middle School, William Price Harris at Bradford High and Drew Andrews at the career-technical center (also an ESE teacher).
Debbie Parmentter at Bradford Middle School will remain an assistant principal, as will Sandi Tomlinson and Ulysses Woods at Bradford High School.
Other administrative positions include:
* Glenda Ruise as a coordinator at the career technical center.
* Cindy DeValerio as Rainbor Center coordinator.
* Lisa Prevatt as assistant superintendent.
* Steven Miller as technology and information services director.
* Julee Tinsler as finance director.
* Barbara Johns as ESE/student services director.
* Carol Clyatt as school accountability and special programs director.
* Randy Whytsell as human resources director.
* Dotty Rondelli as food services supervisor.
* Richard Sapp as facilities, maintenance and transportation supervisor.
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©Bradford County Telegraph 2010
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