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Crystal River principal job likely filled from within
By BARBARA BEHRENDT
© St. Petersburg Times, CRYSTAL RIVER -- Superintendent David Hickey didn't have to look too far to find the new principal for Crystal River Primary School. On Tuesday, Hickey announced his pick for the job, longtime Crystal River Primary educator Sandra Kennedy. Kennedy, 59, has spent 25 years at the school working as a third-grade teacher, a gifted-student teacher, curriculum specialist and the school's assistant principal for the last four years. She replaces Bennye Milton, who died in late June. The School Board was expected to approve Kennedy at a special meeting late Tuesday. Hickey said Kennedy's experience and her time at the school were pluses as Crystal River Primary goes through the difficult transition. "I just feel that this is the right decision, with school right around the corner. Mrs. Kennedy knows the children. She knows the staff and the knows the community," Hickey said. "I think she'll be a good one." "I am so excited," said Kennedy, who learned of her selection late Monday evening. "I just came in today and got started." Kennedy said she agreed that her greatest strength has been that she has been an active part of the community for years. And she agreed that there is much work to be done before school starts. She said she had been filling in as interim principal since Milton's death and had been preparing for the start of school with some major decisions left for whoever was to take over. Now, she said, she could skip that extra approval step and be ready for the arrival of teachers next week and students the week after that. Kennedy plans to have two school psychologists on hand when teachers return in case they want to talk about Milton. A special staff meeting to share memories of the former principal will also be slated next week. "We need to bring closure as much as we can," she said. When students return, the psychologists will be available, but no special discussion about Milton's passing is planned. Kennedy said she is very excited about stepping into the leadership role at the school, and she sees it as a natural extension of her many years as an educator. "What is so special about working with children and working in a community like Crystal River . . . is teaching those children and seeing them grow up and become constructive members of the community," she said. The principal's job comes at a time when Kennedy also is in the middle of a move. Her home was damaged by a plumbing problem several months ago, and she and her husband recently moved to a new home. That move and the new job end plans Kennedy had for a foray into politics. She said she had been preparing to run for Crystal River City Council this fall, but she no longer lives within the city limits. Her husband, Sid Kennedy, is a former City Council member. She is a native of Mississippi who came to the area 39 years ago, when her parents moved here. She attended two years at Defiance College in Ohio and then earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of South Florida. She is certified in both gifted education and educational leadership. Questions were raised after Milton's death regarding minority recruiting and recommendations. Milton died just weeks after controversy erupted over another of Hickey's appointments -- the selection of Steve Richardson for personnel director. Richardson is white, and a black principal in the district -- Terry Charles -- was passed over for the job, leading some to raise questions of racism. Milton was the only other black principal in the district, and the School Board discussed the need to have some minority representation on the committees who would pick her replacement. Hickey said that there were black members on both the screening and interview committees. There were eight applicants originally for Milton's job, but the one African-American applicant from outside the county dropped out of the running.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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