Several Pinellas schools to get new principals

LARGO — Eleven Pinellas County schools will be getting new principals as their previous leaders retire, resign or move to new assignments. The School Board approved the moves in its consent agenda Tuesday.

Largo High School will get its first new leader in a decade, after the retirement of Brad Finkbiner. Its new principal will be Jennifer Vragovic, an assistant principal at St. Petersburg High since 2016. Vragovic started working in Pinellas schools in 2012.

Clearwater Intermediate will have a new top administrator after the transfer of Tonya Mitchell to an assistant principal post at Sanders Exceptional. The new principal will be Ryan Green, an assistant principal at Largo High since 2018, when he joined the district.

Meadowlawn Middle School also will get a new principal, as Mary Melissa Athanson transfers from the top post at Palm Harbor Middle. A new leader for Palm Harbor was not announced.

The Paul B. Stephens ESE Center will get Katie Csaszar as its next principal. Csaszar, who has been an assistant principal at East Lake High since 2018, replaces Deborah Thornton, who is retiring.

Seven elementary schools also are getting new principals.

Belcher Elementary will be led by Dawn Lewis, currently assistant principal at Bay Point Elementary. She replaces Kristy Moody, who is retiring.

Dunedin Elementary will have Christina Murphy, its assistant principal since 2018, as its next principal. Murphy replaces Kerry Wyatt, who is retiring.

Skyview Elementary will get Katie Hamm, its assistant principal since 2017, in the principal’s chair. She replaces Suzanne Hester, who resigned.

Southern Oak Elementary will have Jeffrey Moss as its next principal. He transfers from Sandy Lane Elementary.

Sandy Lane Elementary will have Kelly Austin as its next principal. She transfers from Belleair Elementary, which does not yet have a new principal.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Elementary will be led by Tammy Keeper, who is transferring from Woodlawn Elementary. She replaces Rebecca Moore, who is retiring. A new Woodlawn principal has not been named.

Highland Lakes Elementary will have Eliza Defant as its new principal. Defant transfers from Skycrest Elementary, which does not yet have a new principal appointed.

School Board member Caprice Edmond asked about the timing of so many changes. Superintendent Mike Grego said this is a normal time of year to make administrative moves, with annual contracts coming up for renewal.

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