19 Polk County public schools will have new principals in 2025-26. Is yours one of them?

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Students at 19 public schools in Polk County will return in August to find new principals.

That is actually fewer than in 2024, when 20 schools received newly assigned leaders. Five of this year’s reassignments are the result of principal retirements.

In all, three high schools have new leaders going into 2025-26, one traditional middle school and 14 elementary schools, plus a magnet school serving grades K-8.

The high schools

• Seth Lambert is the new principal at Fort Meade Middle-Senior High , replacing Matt Blankenship. Lambert previously served as assistant principal at Lake Region High in Eagle Lake, according to Polk County Public Schools.

• Blankenship moves to become the principal of Ridge Community High School in Davenport. The previous principal, Angela Clark, is moving to a district position.

• Alex McLuckey will advance from his role as principal at Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary in Fort Meade to become principal at Frostproof Middle-Senior High School . Kyle Windham leaves Frostproof Middle-Senior for Ridge Technical College.

The middle schools

• Only one traditional middle school will have a new leader. Chris Miller, who previously headed Wagner Elementary , takes over at Mulberry Middle School . Miller replaces Cindy Cangelose, who moves into a district position.

• Maude Frazier will shift from assistant principal at Socrum Elementary School to become principal at Lakeland’s Rochelle School of the Arts , which includes kindergarten through eighth grade. Frazier succeeds Carol Griffin, who is retiring.

Most changes at elementary schools

Most of the reassignments involve elementary schools, as 14 will open the 2025-26 school year with new leaders.

• La-Chaz Harris, formerly assistant principal at Chain of Lakes Elementary , becomes principal at Churchwell Elementary in North Lakeland. Jacqueline Agard moves from Churchwell to serve as assistant principal at Lake Marion Creek Middle School .

• Nikki Jones is the new leader at Dixieland Elementary School , having served as assistant principal at Bartow Elementary Academy .

• Taryn Hardee moves from Dixieland Elementary to Socrum Elementary .

• Lauren Gekakis leaves Floral Avenue Elementary School to take over at Eastside Elementary in Haines City. She succeeds Elizabeth Munoz, who is retiring.

• Erik Othoson, assistant principal at Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Elementary , will replace Gekakis at Floral Avenue .

• At Brigham Academy in Winter Haven, Lori May rises from assistant principal to become principal. May succeeds Lynn Boland, who was assigned to a district position.

• Talley Miller is the new leader at Garden Grove Elementary , moving from North Lakeland Elementary to succeed the retiring Laura Neidringhaus.

• Jennifer Blackburn is promoted from assistant principal to principal at Laurel Elementary , as Rodrick Gray shifts to a district role.

• Another promotion moves Christine Harrison from assistant principal to principal at Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary , replacing McLuckey.

• Youmone Berrien, assistant principal at McLaughlin Academy , was named principal at North Lakeland Elementary , filling Miller’s vacancy.

• Azure Gipson, an assistant principal at Inwood Elementary , becomes principal at Phillip O’Brien Elementary . Beth Smith, the current principal, is taking a district position.

• Ron Kaufmann, assistant principal at Scott Lake Elementary , takes the lead role at R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School, replacing Chris Miller.

• Johna Jozwiak, principal at Socrum Elementary , shifts to Sandhill Elementary to succeed Kathy Conely, who is retiring.

• Rachel Jones rises from assistant principal to principal at Sleepy Hill Elementary School . She succeeds the retiring Greg Deal.

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@Single Sparkle or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13 .

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 19 Polk County public schools will have new principals in 2025-26. Is yours one of them?