Manatee County names 9 new principals

MANATEE -- Almost half of the nine new principals named to lead Manatee County schools on Monday come from outside the district.

Two principals come from other areas of Florida and two of the new principals will come to the district from outside the state. The new appointments, released by the district on Monday, are pending board approval.

Three finalists were named for each position. The finalists participated in community forums at the individual schools where they were being considered. The community forums were designed to generate input and feedback. The final position recommendations were made by Superintendent Rick Mills and Diana Greene, deputy superintendent of instruction.

The nine new appointments arrive one month after eight principals moved to new positions, making for new leaders at 17 Manatee County schools.

New principals named

Monday include:

Katherine Price, an assistant principal at McNeal Elementary from 2010-2014, will be principal at Myakka City Elementary.

Latrina Singleton, an assistant principal at Palmetto Elementary School from 2011-2014, will be principal at Rogers Garden Elementary.

Ruby Zickafoose, an assistant principal at Orange Ridge-Bullock Elementary from 2013-2014, will be principal at Stewart Elementary.

Michelle Mealor, an assistant principal at Stenstrom Elementary in Seminole County from 2012-2014, will be principal at Palmetto Elementary.

Tony Losada, an assistant principal at Manatee High from 2012-2014, will be principal at Buffalo Creek Middle.

Nancy Farley, a retired principal and administrator from Indiana, will be principal at Harllee Middle School. She worked in the Anderson Community School Corporation in Anderson, Indiana, from 2002 - 2013, in the following positions: principal of Highland Junior High, 2011-2013; director of student services, programs and grants; director of Title I transportation; elementary principal.

Scott Cooper, an assistant principal at Bayshore High from 2010-2014, will be the principal at Lee Middle School.

Darlene Proue, an assistant principal at North Marion High in Marion County during the 2013-2014 school year, will be the principal at Sugg Middle School.

Justin Terry, the director of Academic and career connections in the Wylie Independent School District, Wylie, Texas, during the 2013-2014 school year, will be principal at Lakewood Ranch High School.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter @MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published June 3, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee County names 9 new principals ."