The athletic director for Maricopa Unified School District will ascend to principal of Maricopa High School this fall.
AD Brian Winter will begin his new leadership role in the 2018-19 school year, MUSD Superintendent Steve Chestnut said in a news release Friday.
Winter contributed two years as AD and another as Dean at MHS. His career in education has included 10 years as a high school administrator and an additional two decades as a K-12 teacher at other districts.
“I am extremely grateful, humbled and very excited to be named the new Principal at MHS for next school year,” Winter said. “I have a host of ideas/goals moving into the position, but ultimately we want to raise the bar from an academic standpoint and provide our students with as many offerings/opportunities as possible in an effort for them to be well rounded and prepared for college and or career.”
MHS Interim Principal Rick Abel and Winter will serve in their current positions for the remainder of the school year.
“At this point in (Abel’s) career, he told me that he will be looking at other professional opportunities, including openings in MUSD for the 2018-19 school year,” Chestnut said.
Abel said he was not pursuing any specific position at this time. “I very much enjoy working with students, staff and families and have a background in teaching social studies and experience in various administrative positions. I hope to continue my work in public education.”
One job opening in the district is Chestnut’s. The MUSD Governing Board began its superintendent search Jan. 12, and will begin screening applicants in February.
Abel has served as principal in the district at the elementary, middle and high school levels since 2005. His most recent post at MHS came after the resignation of Renita Meyers last fall.
Thad Miller, who was named interim principal in October at Maricopa Wells Middle School, will stay in the position permanently, according to the release.
“I am very excited about having Mr. Winter and Mr. Miller in these leadership roles and I know they will be a tremendous asset at each school,” Chestnut stated. “I also want to thank Mr. Abel for his many years of outstanding leadership as a principal in our district. I have greatly enjoyed working with him as have a huge number of students, staff and parents. He will be missed.”
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