Argent, Brown are Named Finalists for Assistant Principal of the Year

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By: Sharon Aron Baron

A Coral Springs middle and high school assistant principal have been nominated Broward County Public Schools 2017 Assistant Principal of the Year. These individuals are among six finalists recognized as leaders who provide inspiration to both their schools and communities, as well as for their commitment to helping students succeed.

David Argent, Assistant Principal, Coral Springs Middle School

David Argent is a dynamic leader who believes that building strong relationships between schools and communities is the key to student success. He consistently engages students, teachers and parents in extracurricular activities. He connects with business partners and volunteers who donate their time and resources to students and the school. For the nine years Argent has served as assistant principal at Coral Springs Middle School, the school received the Florida Department of Education’s Golden School Award. “He has the rare ability to get the best results from staff and students,” said Principal Ian Murray.

Patricia Brown, Assistant Principal, Coral Springs High School

A hard-working instructional leader, Patricia Brown focuses on the academic inclusion of a culturally diverse student population at Coral Springs High School. Brown creates and nurtures a positive learning environment to facilitate student achievement. Her mentoring initiatives positively impact at-risk students and increased the graduation rate for Coral Springs High.

“A star, revolutionary and trailblazer,” are words used by former Principal Susan Leon-Leigh to describe Brown. She works tirelessly to build relationships that provide answers to the latest challenges in education.

The annual Caliber Awards, which recognizes all teachers, school-related/District employees, principals and assistant principals of the year who were nominated by their schools and community, is supported by presenting and title sponsor BrightStar Credit Union. Also supporting the Caliber Awards are platinum sponsors Aetna and Bank of America; silver sponsors After School Programs, Inc. (ASP), Pearson, and Sunshine Child Programs; and bronze sponsors Herff Jones and the Broward Principals’ and Assistants’ Association.

Congratulations to the four other finalists Assistant Principal of the Year Finalists:

Janet Calamaro, Assistant Principal, Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School

Janet Calamaro has more than 31 years of experience in education. Persistent in her efforts, she goes above and beyond to ensure every student reaches his or her highest potential. Calamaro gives of herself daily, working with teachers and parents to safeguard students’ needs and recognize students’ accomplishments. Calamaro is a listener with an open door policy, which encourages conversations and discussions between students, parents, teachers and staff whenever needed. “She knows that the school-parent connection is a vital piece in the success of every student,” said Principal Charles McCanna.

Patricia Genhold, Assistant Principal, Bair Middle School

Patricia Genhold led efforts for Bair Middle School to become a Montessori magnet school. She is a dedicated leader and team player, focused on providing the best learning environment for students. Genhold’s hands-on leadership in preparing the school’s math and science departments for the rigor of the Florida Standards Assessments helped Bair Middle to realize significant proficiency gains and increased student performances across these subjects. Her hard work and community involvement resulted in growing enrollment and creating new resources for the Montessori; Linking Education and Employment Outcomes (LEEO) and Science; and Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs.

Marie Hautigan, Assistant Principal, Fort Lauderdale High School

Following a successful career as an advertising copywriter, Marie Hautigan fulfilled her dream of becoming a teacher at Fort Lauderdale High School a decade ago. Her leadership journey in education began as a substitute teacher. She became an English teacher, Cambridge AICE Program coordinator, Advanced Placement coordinator and assistant principal. Hautigan is inspired by the philosophy that every student deserves the best education to achieve his or her full potential. Recognized as a dedicated and innovative leader among her colleagues, students and the community, Hautigan fosters meaningful relationships and provides access to a variety of resources to help students and teachers.

Sophia Myers, Assistant Principal, North Fork Elementary School

Sophia Myers is a student-focused educational leader whose ultimate goal is to motivate and encourage students to reach their full potential in the classroom and in life. Known as the proud assistant principal of North Fork Elementary School, Myers is committed to providing a creative learning environment, which engages and challenges teachers and students. She is credited with developing several programs that focus on students’ nutritional, physiological and academic needs. Myers works diligently to ensure that every student feels safe at school, and that teachers provide a sense of belonging to all students.

The 2017 Caliber Awards Ceremony, recognizing outstanding employees will be held on Wednesday, April 5, 2017, at 6 p.m., at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.

Author Profile

Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.