New principal appointed at Tarpon Springs High

The Pinellas County School Board has appointed Leza M. Fatolitis the new principal of Tarpon Springs High.

Fatolitis had been serving as acting principal after the transfer of former principal James. M. Joyer, who was suspended five days for failing to follow "threat assessment procedures" after a death threat phoned in recently at the school.

Fatolitis emerged as the top candidate for the permanent job after the district interviewed three applicants, the district said. She began her career with the school system in 1995, working as a substitute teacher, then as a classroom teacher at Garrison-Jones Elementary. She was an assistant principal at Safety Harbor Middle School before becoming assistant principal at Tarpon Springs High in 2010.

According to the district, Fatolitis has a bachelor's degree in childhood development from Florida State University and two degrees from Nova Southeastern University - a master's in education and a specialist's degree in educational leadership.