The Brookhaven School Board rearranged the hierarchy at severalcity schools Tuesday night, approving replacements for retiringBrookhaven Elementary School Principal Pam Fearn and Lipsey MiddleSchool Principal Lorraine Carey.

Current Mamie Martin Elementary Assistant Principal Rob McCrearywill take Carey’s place at Lipsey’s helm while current BESAssistant Principal Delores Gearing will move up to take the reinsfrom Fearn.

“Both candidates for principal have been excellent assistantprincipals,” Brookhaven School District Superintendent Lea Barrettsaid. “They’re happy with the choices for their assistants and theysay they’re excited and ready to hit the road. We expect a seamlesstransition.”

Lipsey Assistant Principal Kim Wand is also retiring. Her placewill be filled by Brookhaven High School special education teacherand assistant football coach Trevor Brister.

Replacing Gearing as assistant principal at BES will be MamieMartin lead teacher Sonya Foster. And McCreary’s currentappointment of assistant principal at Mamie Martin will be filledby BES math teacher Mike Farnham.

Barrett said she’s pleased with the qualifications of thosefilling all the new positions, and especially proud that the schoolsystem makes it possible to promote from within.

“We encourage our personnel that are interested inadministration to acquire their certifications, and we allow themto intern within the district and assist them with that,” she said.”The positive is that you know the staff and their strengths andweaknesses, but also with leadership positions, dealing withparents and children often comes down to a trust factor. Being ableto promote from within the district, the parents appreciate knowingthose individuals in other capacities as well.”

Personnel changes approved during Tuesday’s board meeting willtake effect for the next school year.