Highland Park High School To Get New Principal
Highland Park ISD announced in a March 23 district newsletter that it will be Highland Park High School principal Walter Kelly’s last year as the school’s principal.
Kelly will become the principal of Mercer Island High School near Seattle beginning July 1, pending final board approval. He’s finishing his 10th year as Highland Park High School’s principal, the second-longest tenure of any principal in the school’s history.
“While it continues to be an honor and joy to serve as the Highland Park High School principal; it is time to consider change,” Kelly said in a statement. “What we have accomplished together is something of which I will always be immensely proud. With the enhancements we have made as a team, this school is positioned for success for a long time to come. Personally, after 10 years, I need to change to continue my growth as an educator. This is an opportunity for both the school and me to grow, and we will both be better and stronger for it.”
Kelly founded Highland Park’s Endowed Chair program, which helped the school to attract and keep teachers. He also obtained funding to take teams of teachers and administrators to Harvard for one-week intensive seminars on school improvement.
“I truly appreciate all the contributions that Mr. Kelly has made to the HP community through the years,” HPISD Superintendent Tom Trigg said. “While we are all adjusting to the demands caused by the coronavirus, I hope that students, staff, and parents take time to thank him for his service. We will begin an immediate search to find his successor, one who will be able to carry on the strong traditions in place at Highland Park High School and built upon by Mr. Kelly.”
HPISD will begin a search to find a new high school principal. That process will involve the community in creating a profile of attributes.
