Primary
school has interim principal
By MAGGIE
WILLIAMS
Staff Writer
The primary
school has a principal at last. Gary Stennett assumed his duties
as interim principal at OCPS on Monday.
A retired teacher and principal, Stennett has worked in education
for 39 years. He spent nine years in the classroom at Bullitt
and Anderson counties before serving as principal at Bald Knob
Elementary in Frankfort. This is his fifth job as an interim principal
after retiring in 1992.
In all his years in education, Stennett has held a position on
the State Principal’s Board and worked at Mercer County,
the largest elementary school in the state at the time with 1,200
students. Owen County Primary School is significantly smaller
with an enrollment of just under 500 students, but Stennett said
his philosophy is the same wherever he goes: “to make decisions
based on what’s best for the kids.”
Stennett met with the primary school staff for the first time
at a meeting Friday afternoon. While munching on cake celebrating
the end of the first week of the school year, teachers chatted
and got to know the man who will lead them for at least the next
semester. Mindy Green, OCPS librarian, said the year got off to
a great start, and she is looking forward to working with Stennett.
“He is kind, but we’ve been led to believe he can
be authoritative,” she said.
“The faculty loves and reveres him at every school he’s
been at,” said Mark Cleveland, superintendent of schools.
“He has a wealth of knowledge and experience.”
Before coming to Owen County, Stennett was at Henry County where
he worked with OCHS assistant principal, Shannon Treece, and was
mentor to former OCHS teacher and coach, Stacie Diamond. Treece
worked at the middle school while Stennett was at the elementary
school, but because administrators were active in all buildings,
she knew him well. “He has been around for several years,
but he is still very in tune with student needs. The primary school
is very lucky,” she said.
In addition to his duties as principal, Stennett runs a farm in
Anderson County and has worked as a car salesman. He will be at
the primary school until Christmas, when the Site-based council
will review applications. If a suitable applicant is not found,
Stennett will continue to serve as principal through the end of
the 2007-2008 school year.
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