Principal returns to Marion

Mike Kelly, the first principal of The Villages Charter High School, has moved to Lake Weir Middle School in Marion County. 

CHRISTINE GIORDANO/THE REPORTER

BY CHRISTINE GIORDANOTHE REPORTER

Published: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 5:44 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 5:56 p.m.

LAKE WEIR - The principal and Villages resident who started The Villages Charter High School from the ground up has moved on. 
Five years ago, when the charter high school was first built, Mike Kelly commanded the curriculum, hired the staff and steered the students through their first years.  This year, he returns to Marion County as principal of Lake Weir Middle School. 
Bill Zwick, who did not return calls for comment, will take his place at the high school in The Villages. 
"I'm returning home," Kelly said, adding, "It was a great experience in The Villages.  I met a lot of great people." 
His oldest son was a football star and captain at The Villages Charter High School.  He won a partial scholarship and went on to Concordia University in Chicago this year. 
Kelly says his change of schools was "not at all" timed with his son's graduation, noting that his younger son still attends the charter middle school. 
"I still believe in it," he said of the charter system. 
Before working for The Villages, Kelly spent most of his 20-year career in Marion County.  He began teaching physical education and driver's education and was promoted to assistant principal at Lake Weir High School. 
After taking the job at the charter high school, he implemented Marion County programs into the new school's curriculum, like the SIM program, which measures a student's progress through short, frequent assessment techniques.  The charter garnered "A" scores on the school accountability report for three of its four years.  In 2005, it scored a "B."
Kelly says he intends to repeat his pattern and take what he learned from the charter back to Marion County.  He'll emphasize hands-on projects and integrating the curriculum. 
"We need to get better at reading at this school, as well as most all schools, implementing reading strategies across our curriculum," he said. 
Lake Weir earned a "B" rating for 2006-2007. 
Unlike The Villages charter, which mandated that parents be involved or their children be dismissed from school, Kelly is now facing the challenges of involving the community. 
"I'm trying to drum up community support from businesses that serve area," he said. 
The number of support staff and teachers, however, is four times the size of The Villages. 
His students will increase to 1,350 - he had fewer than 500 at the charter high school - but Kelly will have fewer after-school activities to attend at the middle-school level. 
"It's a nice reprieve," he said. 
When he left Marion County, his assistant principal salary was about $58,000.  Upon his return, it's $88,000. 
Kelly, his son, and his wife, Becky, live in Spring Arbor, an area of The Villages where young professionals reside without the use of or fees for amenities. Contact Christine Giordano at 352-732-6058 or christine.giordano@starbanner.com. 

LAKE WEIR - The principal and Villages resident who started The Villages Charter High School from the ground up has moved on.<BR>
Five years ago, when the charter high school was first built, Mike Kelly commanded the curriculum, hired the staff and steered the students through their first years.  This year, he returns to Marion County as principal of Lake Weir Middle School.<BR>
Bill Zwick, who did not return calls for comment, will take his place at the high school in The Villages.<BR>
"I'm returning home," Kelly said, adding, "It was a great experience in The Villages.  I met a lot of great people. "<BR>
His oldest son was a football star and captain at The Villages Charter High School.  He won a partial scholarship and went on to Concordia University in Chicago this year.<BR>
Kelly says his change of schools was "not at all" timed with his son's graduation, noting that his younger son still attends the charter middle school.<BR>
"I still believe in it," he said of the charter system.<BR>
Before working for The Villages, Kelly spent most of his 20-year career in Marion County.  He began teaching physical education and driver's education and was promoted to assistant principal at Lake Weir High School.<BR>
After taking the job at the charter high school, he implemented Marion County programs into the new school's curriculum, like the SIM program, which measures a student's progress through short, frequent assessment techniques.  The charter garnered "A" scores on the school accountability report for three of its four years.  In 2005, it scored a "B."<BR>
Kelly says he intends to repeat his pattern and take what he learned from the charter back to Marion County.  He'll emphasize hands-on projects and integrating the curriculum.<BR>
"We need to get better at reading at this school, as well as most all schools, implementing reading strategies across our curriculum," he said.<BR>
Lake Weir earned a "B" rating for 2006-2007.<BR>
Unlike The Villages charter, which mandated that parents be involved or their children be dismissed from school, Kelly is now facing the challenges of involving the community.<BR>
"I'm trying to drum up community support from businesses that serve area," he said.<BR>
The number of support staff and teachers, however, is four times the size of The Villages.<BR>
His students will increase to 1,350 - he had fewer than 500 at the charter high school - but Kelly will have fewer after-school activities to attend at the middle-school level.<BR>
"It's a nice reprieve," he said. 
When he left Marion County, his assistant principal salary was about $58,000.  Upon his return, it's $88,000.<BR>
Kelly, his son, and his wife, Becky, live in Spring Arbor, an area of The Villages where young professionals reside without the use of or fees for amenities.<BR>
<i>Contact Christine Giordano at 352-732-6058 or christine.giordano@starbanner.com.</i>