Meet The Principal: Christen Tonry

At , when you hear the clicking of high heeled shoes walking down the hallway, that can mean only one thing, Principal Christen Tonry is on her way.

“Everyone always talks about my shoes,” Tonry said with a smile, “The students even put pictures of them in the school’s yearbook.”   

Tonry has a very professional demeanor, but realizes that humor can be an asset when it comes to dealing with students and staff. 

Last year, under her leadership the school received an "A" grade from the State of Florida.  She is optimistic that when the school grades are released in the fall, PHUHS will once again earn an "A".

Technology plays a major role at PHUHS. An increasing number of teachers have created Moodle websites for their students. Moodle enables students to interact with their teachers, find assignments and information on-line.

“Technology is HUGE here.” said Tonry. The school has over 1600 computers, 40 I-pads, and 80 Smart Boards. The Smart Board is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection the same way a computer mouse and keyboard work. Students and teachers interact with the board throughout the lesson. 

The greatest challenges facing Tonry this year are dealing with the size of the school, maintaining the quality of education, and providing a safe campus for the students and faculty. 

“We want our students to focus in the classroom and achieve at the highest levels,” she said.

“We have 2600 students, 180 staff members, and 44 portable classrooms. That is a lot of movement of people throughout the day. We are the largest high school in Pinellas County.”

Another mission at PHUHS is to improve the quality of instruction.  “Our goal is provide a rigorous curriculum to challenge students, provide staff development and training for our teachers and keep our parents informed about post secondary options for their children,” she said.

PHUHS is one of three high Schools in Pinellas County to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. St. Petersburg High has offered the program for years, and this year Largo High School will come on board for its first year.   

Tonry is extremely proud of the students in the IB program. “Our IB program has a 98% graduation rate. In 2010, Newsweek Magazine ranked us as one of the best high schools in the United States,” she said.

Principal Tonry is also passionate about the role of parents in their child’s education, “They need to stay involved," she says. Tonry encourages parents to check the school’s on-line Portal everyday so that they can monitor their child’s progress and communicate with the teachers.  

So who is Christen Tonry?

Tonry is a native Floridian who grew up in Clearwater, Florida. Her best memories about her early schooling revolved around sports. She participated in volleyball, softball and basketball. “When I got to high school, I stopped playing basketball,” she chuckled, “I was 5’4” and I got tired of getting hit in the mouth with elbows.”   

Tonry's favorite book from childhood was "The Giving Tree" by Shell Silverstein.

She has spent 16 years working in Pinellas County schools. After graduating from Troy University, she landed her first job at Southern Oaks Elementary School as a PE teacher. She transferred to Fairmont Park Elementary school, and after earning her Master’s degree from Florida State, was promoted to Assistant Principal.  

Tonry decided to move up to the high school level, and after two years at Gibbs High School, transferred to PHUHS. Within two years, Tonry was appointed Principal. She is currently finishing up her PhD at the University of South Florida.

When asked about the single most important quality a principal should possess Tonry was adamant.  “Flexibility” she said. “Be flexible with what you have, to make it work for the teachers, the students, and the school.”

If Tonry could wave a magic wand, she would wish that all students could achieve at high levels, and have a quality experience when they leave high school for college, the military, or the world of work.

What is the one thing that people might not know about Christen Tonry?  

“I do wear shoes that are not high heels.” she said with a smile.

More information about Palm Harbor University High School. 

More information about International Baccalaureate programs.