New principal joins Brookside Middle School

Following Brookside Middle School Principal Kathy Wilks’ request to be reassigned as a high school assistant principal, the school has named a new principal — Kristine Lawrence.

The current principal at Woodland Middle School, Lawrence will assume the position at Brookside effective July 1.

Wilks had asked to be reassigned to an assistant principal position because the time demands of being a principal are conflicting with her family responsibilities.

Appointed principal at Brookside in 2010, Wilks previously served as an assistant principal at North Port High School from 2005 to 2010. Prior to that, she taught math there from 2001 to 2005. She was also named the NPHS’s Teacher of the Year in 2003-2004 and the school district’s High School Teacher of the Year in 2004-2005.

“My current desire is to seek a position that allows me to be effective professionally without having the time commitment involved in a principal-ship detract from my responsibilities as a parent,” Wilks said in a prepared statement. “My goal at this point is to remain focused on helping our students and staff to finish out the school year and to help in making the transition to a new principal as smooth as possible.”

Rather than going through the traditional selection process, Superintendent Lori White chose to immediately appoint a new principal for Brookside to begin making staffing and scheduling decisions for the 2011-2012 school year. Lawrence was appointed because of her extensive experience as a middle school administrator and has been successful in managing the challenges of opening a new school.

Lawrence, who moved to Sarasota from Indianapolis, previously served four years at Woodland Middle School in North Port and was named principal when the school opened in 2007.

A graduate of Indiana University, Lawrence holds a bachelor’s degree in German and Spanish, a master’s degree in secondary education and a master’s degree in school administration and supervision.

“My past four years as principal at Woodland Middle School have been rewarding,” Lawrence said. “I will always treasure my time spent with this community. I am looking forward to my new responsibilities as principal of Brookside Middle School and am eager to get to know the staff, students, families and community.

Contact Loren Mayo at [email protected].