New Hazelwood Central Interim Principal Returns Home

On Monday, students greeted a new interim principal on the first day of school, one with a familiar face to parents and students.

took charge of the high school principal’s duties in July and quickly jumped into the lead administrator role.

“I didn’t have time to mess around,” she said in an interview with Florissant Patch. After accepting and signing her offer on a Wednesday, Mitchell said she got to work the following Monday for parents and students.

In June, the Board of Education announced the promotion of former Hazelwood Central principal to assistant superintendent for learning, and the board hired Mitchell as his interim replacement.

For the past 15 years, Mitchell has worked in the Hazelwood School District—her longest term anywhere, she said—in a number of roles. As much as she has helped students and parents, the district helped her in a grieving process.

Shortly after her mother—who also worked as an educator and served as an inspiration to Mitchell—passed away, she bought a house near the Hazelwood School District and took leave from her position as a principal in another school district.

Her neighbor encouraged her to look into the Hazelwood School District as a substitute teacher.

“It was the best decision I ever allowed someone to talk me into making,” she said. “Coming back to the classroom allowed me to heal.”

Although she started out as a substitute teacher, she quickly moved up to be an assistant principal at Hazelwood Central and then onto Hazelwood West High School for the 2010-11 school year.

Now, she’s back as principal, and several students already know what to expect.

“Even though I’ve been gone for a year, guys started getting their pants together and pulling them up,” she said upon her return to Hazelwood Central. “Young ladies started pulling tops up.”

Mitchell said she and former principal Strong started at Hazelwood Central at the same time, and he’s very encouraged for the new school year.

“I believe she has the background and skill necessary to be very effective at Hazelwood Central,” Strong said. “She knows the students, the successes and the areas needed to be addressed as well. It gives her a unique insight to the school.”

Mitchell said she’s excited for the next school year and the students.
“I have a gift to motivate and inspire students,” she said. “We’re wanting to challenge students to be leaders within themselves. We’re going to help them understand how they learn best.”