Fairfax County Public Schools is launching a nationwide search for a new principal of the prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, after the current principal announced plans to accept another role in the school division.
Ann Bonitatibus, who has been the principal of the high school since 2017, said in a letter to families on Tuesday that she’s taking a new role as executive director of talent acquisition and management in the school division’s human resources department. In the letter, obtained by WTOP, Bonitatibus said school division leaders will meet with faculty and students to share next steps for the principal selection process and a timeline for her transition.
The high school, often ranked as one of the best in the country, has been scrutinized nationally after the school board voted to change the admissions process to increase diversity. Some parents argued the new policy discriminated against Asian Americans, but the Supreme Court left the policy in place earlier this year.
The school has also dropped to 14th place from 5th place last year on a national scale which ranks the best schools in the country.View Post
Bonitatibus announced her departure about a week after she told the school community that Assistant Principal Shawn Frank had accepted a new position at Mountain View High School.
In her letter, Bonitatibus said after the admissions changes, the school population grew more than 20%, and that “each and every student has earned their way to TJ and belongs in our school.”
“Dr. Bonitatibus’ expertise, unquestionable professionalism, and dedication to the students of Fairfax County is unparalleled,” Superintendent Michelle Reid said. “I am thankful for her incredible leadership at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.”
In recent weeks, some community members have spoken out about what they’ve described as a decline in academic standards since the admission policy changed. For one, in a letter to school leaders, the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations expressed concern about a decline in the number of National Merit semifinalists from the school. The 81 semifinalists this year, the group wrote, “represent the lowest number from that school in at least 10 years, despite the increased class size.”
Meanwhile, in her letter to the school community, Bonitatibus touted new courses, student achievements and leadership’s plans to improve students’ social and emotional health. Before arriving at the prestigious school, Bonitatibus said she worked in central office roles in California and Maryland, and “I now look forward to returning to a district leadership role.”
Reid said Bonitatibus will leave the magnet school next month. Her new job “involves leading efforts to recruit world-class staff to FCPS,” Reid said.
The school was thrust into the spotlight during a yearslong legal challenge to the new admissions policy. The changes included doing away with the standardized test and weighs other criteria such as whether students are economically disadvantaged or are learning English. It doesn’t consider race.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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