New Principal Appointed for Brookside Middle School

According to the Sarasota County School District, Brookside Middle School Principal Kathy Wilks has asked to be reassigned as a high school assistant principal and Woodland Middle School Principal Kristine Lawrence has been named the new principal at Brookside effective July 1. Wilks requested that she be allowed to return to an assistant principal’s position because the time demands of being a principal are conflicting with her family responsibilities.

Superintendent Lori White said she chose to appoint a new principal for Brookside rather than going through the traditional selection process because a new principal needs to be in place as soon as possible to begin making staffing and scheduling decisions for the 2011-2012 school year. She said she chose Lawrence because she has extensive experience as a middle-school administrator and has been very successful in managing the challenges of opening a new school.

She was appointed to the Brookside position after serving four years as principal of Woodland Middle School in North Port. She was named principal when Woodland Middle School opened in 2007.

Lawrence said she is very excited about the opportunity to serve in a new position in the district and to expand her experience as an administrator. “My past four years as principal at Woodland Middle School have been rewarding,” she 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.”