Sebastian River High School Assistant Principal Billy Wilson will remain at the school where he has worked for the past 24 years thanks to Interim Superintendent Susan Moxley, who reversed her predecessor’s decision to reassign the well-liked Wilson, who is planning to retire after the 2019-20 school year.
Former Superintendent Mark Rendell made several reassignments prior to resigning under pressure from the district May 24. Wilson and his outraged supporters in the district, including some board members, accused Rendell of being politically motivated because Wilson has had disputes with Sebastian River’s first-year principal Dariyall Brown – who was hired by Rendell. Wilson confirmed he and Brown “don’t get along that well.”
But that doesn’t mean the pair haven’t been effective working together – that was made clear when Moxley reviewed the school’s operations.
“When we make a decision, we have to look at whether we think it will make the district better; if it’s in the best interest of the students and staff,” Moxley said. “Mr. Wilson has one year left in the district, and I felt there was no reason for change. He is well-liked and been very effective where he is.”
Moxley also announced this past week that she had reversed Rendell’s decision to reassign Vero Beach High School Assistant Principal Eddie Robinson, sending him to Sebastian River High.
She upheld Rendell’s decision to reassign Sebastian River High School Assistant Principal Michelle Holmes, sending her to Sebastian River Middle School, and the decision to send Sebastian Middle School Assistant Principal Jacqueline Contri to Sebastian High. Holmes and Contri will be transferred to their new jobs beginning July 22.
The staffing at Sebastian Middle School concerns Moxley, who noted many African American and Latino students attend the school, which has no minority administrators. That’s an issue she wants the district to begin working on this upcoming school year.
“We have to do more to recruit and diversify our school district,” Moxley said. “We are going to start looking at ways to address this issue.”