Wellington Landings Middle School Principal Blake Bennett will be leaving her post this month to become the new principal at the A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts.
At Dreyfoos, Bennett will replace Dr. Susan Atherly, who will be retiring at the end of March. A new principal has not yet been named for Wellington Landings.
“I have had the distinct honor and privilege of leading our outstanding school for the last ten years,” Bennett wrote in an e-mail to the school community on Monday, March 1. “I have been so fortunate to be a part of this community for almost a decade and have treasured all of the experiences I have had with our students and our families.”
While the change will be bittersweet, Bennett said that she is looking forward to this latest challenge.
“I have a true love for the arts and offering opportunities for students to develop their talents is a passion of mine,” she wrote. “Opening our Fine Arts Academy at WLMS has afforded our students the opportunity to explore the arts and inspire them through their educational journey. I am incredibly excited for this next step in my role as an educator and at the same time feel an enormous sense of sadness leaving a community that has become my second home and family.”
The School District of Palm Beach County has begun a search for a new principal for Wellington Landings. Surveys went out to the school community on Tuesday to solicit input.
“You can rest assured that the district fully understands the importance of picking the right principal who will continue WLMS on the path of its tradition of excellence in education,” Bennett wrote. “Over the next few weeks, I will be transitioning between WLMS and Dreyfoos… As I continue my journey, Wellington Landings Middle School will always be in my heart and a lifetime of memories will be treasured.”
