Brevard Public Schools Names 2018 Principal, Assistant Principal of the Year

By  //  July 17, 2018

Principal of the year – Ena Leiba, Assistant Principal of the year – Catherine Murphy

A principal who led improvement at a beachside elementary school and an assistant principal recently promoted to lead her own campus received top honors before peers Tuesday.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A principal who led improvement at a beachside elementary school and an assistant principal recently promoted to lead her own campus received top honors before peers Tuesday.

Principal of the Year – Ena Leiba

Leiba has been principal at Sea Park since 2006.

Under Principal Ena Leiba’s leadership, Sea Park Elementary in South Patrick Shores has rebounded from a school with declining enrollment and performance to what she calls “the best kept secret on the beach.”

During the Great Recession, Sea Park – which serves a high portion of military families from nearby Patrick Air Force Base – was targeted for possible closure as student enrollment and, later, test scores slid.

But Leiba credits a “true community effort” by parents and Sea Park staff for improving Sea Park’s overall performance grade from a “C” in 2016 to an “A” in 2017 and 2018. Today, Sea Park is full again.

Leiba has been principal at Sea Park since 2006. Before that, she served five years as assistant principal at Sea Park and for seven years as a teacher in BPS. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Florida Atlantic University and her master’s degree in education leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Assistant Principal of the Year – Catherine Murphy

Catherine Murphy was recently promoted from assistant principal at Longleaf Elementary in Melbourne to principal of Fairglen Elementary north of Cocoa. (BPS Image)

Based on her strong leadership, Catherine Murphy was recently promoted from assistant principal at Longleaf Elementary in Melbourne to principal of Fairglen Elementary north of Cocoa.

“My greatest career accomplishments are the individual success stories of students and teachers I have worked with over the years,” Murphy said regarding her move.

“That’s the goal in education: success for all.”

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Murphy previously served at schools as a teacher at Croton Elementary and the Title 1 coordinator at Sabal Elementary, both in Melbourne. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree from NOVA Southeastern University. She is a Brevard County native and attended Andersen Elementary and Kennedy Middle in Rockledge and graduated from Rockledge High.

The awards were announced Tuesday during a BPS leadership conference at the Harris Technology Center in Palm Bay.

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