Most Elementary Schools To Have New Principals

Most elementary schools to have new principals

By JANET MILLER
NEWS SPECIAL WHITER

YPSILANTI — Ypsilanti Schools Superintendent Ralph W. Grimes’ reshuffling of the administrative deck is near complete after he handed out principal building assignments Wednesday.

Most of the district’s elementary schools will see new principals when class begins Sept. 5. Grimes not only filled two principalships left empty by retirement, he moved others around.

Changes announced Wednesday:

■ Chapelle Elementary School Principal Pat DeRossett will become principal of Fletcher Elementary School.

■ Fletcher School principal Bill Madsen will move to Estabrook Elementary School, which was left empty by the retirement of Robert Peper.

■ Tulani Smith, Ardis Elementary School teacher who Monday was hired as a principal, will head up Chapelle School.

■ Lana Callihan, an administrator in the Anchor Bay School District, who also was named a principal Monday, will lead George Elementary School. George School’s principal's chair was left empty when Leo Clark last week was re-assigned as principal of Perry Child Development Center. That spot was left vacant when Rose Marie Barhydt retired at the end of the school year.

Another administrative change made by Grimes, who took over as school chief July 1, is at the high school. Ypsilanti High School Assistant Principal Cassandra Russell will become assistant principal at West Middle School.

“Cassandra Russell is a relatively new administrator and I wanted her to have administrative involvement at the middle school level for a period of time,” said Grimes. Russell, who was an adult education administrator when she was laid off, was called back to the administrative ranks mid-year when YHS Assistant Principal Debbie Clark left.

Russell will join George Beaudette, longtime YHS principal who last week was moved to head West Middle School. YHS Assistant Principal John Fulton was named interim principal at the high school.

Three administrative decisions' are still left: naming a director of special education, finding a principal for East Middle School and deciding if the district should have an assistant superintendent or opt instead for a second curriculum development person.

The elementary school reshuffling will move seasoned principals DeRossett and Madsen to new buildings, spreading their expertise around, said Grimes.