New principal named for Sarasota High School

Last week longtime Sarasota High School principal Jeff Hradek announced to students and staff that he would be retiring after 13 years in the position. 

The replacement to start the new school year has been named. North Port High School principal 
David Jones will transition into the role of principal for Sarasota High School starting Aug. 1. 

Hradek began as SHS principal in 2003 after serving as principal of Brookside Middle School and as an assistant principal at Brookside and Laurel Nokomis School. 

“Jeff Hradek has done a great job leading the SHS team and I hope to build on that success,” Jones said in a release.

Sarasota High School is where Jones began his career in Sarasota County. Starting from 2005 Jones taught math and then served as an assistant principal before being named principal at McIntosh Middle School. In July 2012 Jones moved into the position of principal at North Port High School. 

Prior to working in Sarasota County Jones began his career as an educator in 1990 in the Douglas County School District of Colorado teaching math, technology and health courses at Cresthill Middle School. 

Jones made the announcement in a message to his North Port High colleagues:

“It has been an absolute honor working among such an outstanding staff for the past four years. You have successfully established the University of Cambridge AICE program and seen its first graduates. You have supported and worked to witness the official Visual and Performing Arts magnet program soar to unprecedented levels. The efforts of this staff have put our JROTC program into an elite position with national recognition. Hundreds of stories of successes and honors are the fruit of your labors. And underlying everything, you work tirelessly to ensure that our students learn as much as possible every day. I could not be more proud to have been affiliated with you these past four years.”  

To fill the vacant North Port High School position a meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 26 in the school’s media center at 6400 W. Price Blvd. to get input from any staff, students, parents and community members. The position will be posted to the district website by Monday, Aug. 1. 

Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Lori White plans to have the position filled before the start of classes Aug. 22.