Phenix City Board of Education approves new principal

Central Freshman Academy now officially has a new principal.

As is the Phenix City Board of Education's custom, the promotion of Rachael Fowler from assistant principal wasn't mentioned during Thursday's meeting. The agenda item simply called for approval of superintendent Randy Wilkes' recommendation concerning administrative personnel.

The Ledger-Enquirer asked Wilkes after the meeting whether any of the personnel moves involved principals or the central office. That's when he disclosed Fowler's promotion.

Fowler started the school year as interim principal in the wake of David Sikes' retirement. She has been an educator for 12 years, all in Phenix City. She was an assistant principal at Central High School from 2011-15 and a science teacher at the high school from 2003-11. She earned a master's degree in educational leadership from Troy State University in 2008, a bachelor's degree in wildlife sciences from Auburn University in 2003 and an associate's degree in life sciences from Chattahoochee Valley Community College in 2000. She graduated from Central High in 1999.

Wilkes said Fowler's experiences as an administrator and teacher at the high school, which serves grades 10-12, have prepared her to lead the freshman academy.

"She is going to be a great fit for the ninth grade, to prep them for those expectations at the high school level," he said. "She has done well in matters of discipline, and she understands the academic aspect."

Tammy Smith, a former Sherwood Elementary School principal, is filling the assistant principal's role at the academy as a long-term substitute. She officially is working on a part-time basis to keep her retirement, but she has combined with Fowler to give the academy a full-time impact, Wilkes said.

"They're a great team," he said. "I'm not looking to break that team up, because they're working so well."

In June, Fowler was transferred from her position as one of two assistant principals at Central High School to become assistant principal at Central Freshman Academy. She replaced Aretha McDonald, who was promoted to principal of Meadowlane Elementary School. McDonald replaced Felicia Washington, who resigned and declined to explain why when the Ledger-Enquirer reported the move in May.

Also in June, Jason Sasser was transferred from assistant principal at Phenix City Intermediate School to replace Fowler at Central High, and Meadowlane instructional coach Adam Kilcrease was promoted to replace Sasser as assistant principal at PCIS.

Budget approved

In other action, without any comment from a board member, the board unanimously approved the system's budget for fiscal year 2016, which starts Oct. 1. Board member Paul Stamp was absent from the meeting.

The Ledger-Enquirer reported the details of the budget after Tuesday's work session, when Wilkes and chief financial officer presented the $72,933,522 spending plan, an increase of 8.4 percent over the current budget's projection. Nobody on the board or in the audience asked any questions during either budget hearing Tuesday or Thursday.

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272. Follow him on Twitter@MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Phenix City Board of Education approves new principal ."