The search for a new executive principal at Warren County High School appears to be over as the school system has reportedly made an offer to an out-of-town candidate.
A formal announcement could come as early as tomorrow.
“We hope to have an announcement Thursday night at the board meeting,” said Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale. “I’d rather not say anything until all the details are worked out.”
While the school system has not released any information about the new principal, one of the finalists who interviewed for the job has made his own announcement on Facebook.
According to the Facebook page of Leesburg, Ind., resident Anthony J. Cassel, he will be the new WCHS executive principal. He interviewed for the job in mid-May. His page contains three pictures of WCHS and says, “My new high school as executive principal, moving to Tennessee.”
In addition, five WCHS faculty members are now listed as friends on Cassel’s Facebook page. The page lists Cassel as a 43-year-old father of three who earned his EdS degree from Purdue University.
The hiring of Cassel would end an over two-month process that began when current executive principal James Bennett submitted his retirement papers March 7. The job was posted that day.
The school system has three other vacant principal positions at Hickory Creek, Eastside and Warren County Middle School. The last interviews for the WCMS job were held Monday and Dr. Hale says that completes the interview process for all three positions.
Hickory Creek principal Donald Prater and Eastside principal Doug Reed are both retiring. WCMS principal Betty Wood has accepted a job at the central office where she will oversee teacher evaluations under new Race to the Top guidelines.
“I’ll probably never have a harder job than being principal at Warren County Middle School,” said Wood, who says she believes her new position will be a great fit. “One of the things I really love to do is work with teachers on instructional strategy, to try and take data and get teachers to understand areas they can improve. It’s a new day in education in Tennessee and I think I can be an advocate for the teachers and also be of assistance to the principals.”