Principal's Resignation Leads to Leadership Shuffle

The unexpected resignation of Principal Willie Jett has caused a shake-up among junior high and high school leadership positions that had been set just last week.

Jett told school officials Friday that he was leaving to take an assistant superintendent position at Saint Paul Public Schools, said school district spokeswoman Jolene Goldade. He will be replaced by Hopkins High School Assistant Principal  who had  of  just three weeks ago.

Thankfully, the district already had a strong candidate pool from the North Junior High search. The district was able to just bump Johnson up to the high school, and choose Farmington High School Assistant Principal Becky Melville as the new choice for North Junior High principal.

“It kind of all worked out,” Goldade said.

Johnson already gained quite a bit of strategic experience during her three years at the high school, Goldade said. She was involved in both planning and programming. She edged out Melville for the North Junior High position because she was an internal candidate.

But Melville also has significant experience in Hopkins. She spent most of her teaching career at North Junior High. In Farmington, she has been director of teaching and learning in addition to high school assistant principal.

Jett is expected to formally step down July 1, Goldade said. He and Johnson are in the process of developing a transition plan.

Melville should start at North Junior High on July 1.