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School Administrators Make Their Move

Marc Valero/Highlands Today

Doug Thoburn, coordinator of Career and Technical Education, prepares Wednesday to interview a candidate for a teaching position at the Career Academy. Thoburn is among nine educators who have moved to new positions recently. During the 2007-08 school year, he was the assistant principal at Sebring Middle School.

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By MARC VALERO | Highlands Today

Published: June 25, 2008

SEBRING — A new school, a new district office position and an administrator moving back to the classroom will add up to 10 of the 11 changes in administrative positions such as principals and assistant principals.

One transfer creates a domino effect. For example: Ruby Handley moving from principal of Fred Elementary to principal of the new Memorial Elementary, Laura Waldon, formerly assistant principal of Woodlawn Elementary, replacing Handley and then exceptional student education staffing specialist Melissa Blackman replacing Waldon at Woodlawn Elementary.

Doug Thoburn, Sebring Middle assistant principal, is among those changing jobs with Superintendent Wally Cox recommending him to fill the position of coordinator of career & technical education. John Rousch resigned from the position after two years to return to teaching at Lake Placid High School.
Thoburn interviewed teachers Wednesday for the Career Academy that will open in the fall at South Florida Community College.

"I feel really good about it; I think it's a great opportunity," he said of his new position.
Prior to his one year as assistant principal of Sebring Middle School, Thoburn lived in Ohio where he was a high school principal for three years, middle school principal for three years and a guidance counselor for two years.

The School Board of Highlands County is scheduled to consider Cox's administrative recommendations and reappointments at a special meeting at 2 p.m., Friday.

A summary of the administrative changes slated for 2008-09 school year follows:
Carla Ball – Memorial Elementary assistant principal, formerly Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. Elementary (Frostproof) assistant principal.
Melissa Blackman – Woodlawn Elementary assistant principal, formerly an exceptional student education staffing specialist.
Ted Evans – Sebring Middle dean, formerly Hill-Gustat Middle assistant principal.
Michael Haley – Lake Placid High School principal, formerly Lake Placid High assistant principal.
Ruby Handley – Memorial Elementary Principal, formerly Fred Wild Elementary Principal.
Ruth Heckman – district office administrator of Advanced Academics K-12, formerly Lake Placid High principal.
Valerie James – Lake Placid High assistant principal, formerly Lake Placid Elementary assistant principal.
Doug Thoburn – coordinator of Career & Technical Education, formerly Sebring Middle assistant principal.
Laura Waldon – Fred Wild Elementary principal, formerly Woodlawn Elementary assistant principal.

The assistant principal positions at Sebring and Hill-Gustat middle schools and Lake Placid Elementary are currently vacant.

Contact Marc Valero at mvalero@highlandstoday.com or 863-386-5826.

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