VIERA, FL, July 20, 2022 – Each year BPS selects one Principal and one Assistant Principal to represent Brevard Public Schools at the state-level Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year Awards competition. This year, Blair Lovelace, Coquina Elementary School, was named BPS’ Principal of the Year, and Kelly Grugan, Riviera Elementary School, was named Assistant Principal of the Year.
Other finalists included Jackie Ingratta, Principal of Edgewood Jr./Sr. High School, and Heather Smith, Assistant Principal of Viera High school.
Superintendent Dr. Mark Mullins praised the nominees saying, “These principals and assistant principals have spearheaded initiatives to increase student performance and promote safe learning environments, often through establishing partnerships with parents and community members. They are each exemplar of the various leadership domains found within the Florida Principal Standards…”
Mrs. Lovelace has been the principal of Coquina Elementary since 2017. Since taking on the role of principal, she has raised the school grade from a “D” to a “B.” Her nomination letter stated, “Mrs. Lovelace has worked tirelessly to improve instruction for all students. Her focus on student data is relentless. She has trained her teachers to not only know their data but to effectively use it to plan and improve instruction.”
Mrs. Grugan has been the Assistant Principal at Riviera Elementary for the past five years. Leadership described her dedication saying, “Mrs. Grugan is a go-getter with a can-do attitude… When data showed a particular grade level weakness, Mrs. Grugan worked diligently to form a plan with the teachers to improve student performance, while providing feedback and support to ensure the plan was successful.”
Mrs. Lovelace and Mrs. Grugan will be recognized at an upcoming School Board meeting and will go on to interview at the state level.
