School Board Names New Principal of Metz Middle School
The School Board of the City of Manassas has appointed Kimberly Buckheit as the new principal of Metz Middle School. The school is gaining a strong leader and educator with extensive administrative experience. She will begin her new position July 1, 2015.
Buckheit says she has a genuine love and appreciation for students and an understanding of their unique needs as well as the needs of those who educate them. She is currently principal of Troy Howard Middle School RSU #20 in Belfast, Maine, a position she has held since 2004. During her tenure at Troy Howard, she has led the school in consistent improvements in student academic performance in all areas and is known as a leader in school improvement practices.
“I am excited to have Mrs. Buckheit join the Manassas City Public Schools family as the new principal at Metz,” said Superintendent Catherine Magouyrk. “Her solid leadership background and focus on school improvement and student success will be an asset to our school community.”
Prior to her current position, she served as an elementary school principal for five years. Additionally, she has experience as director of the Gifted and Talented program and an Affirmative Action Officer for the school district. Buckheit also has eight years’ experience as a behavior specialist in Baltimore, MD, and a behavior resource teacher for two years for Baltimore County Public Schools. She also has experience as an adjunct graduate professor at Goucher and New England colleges.
A sought after presenter, Buckheit has shared her passion for education at conferences across the nation, focusing on best practices in school improvement. She has received national recognition for her leadership in education, having been named the 2014 Breakthrough School Principal by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the 2013 National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. During the 2014-15 school year, she has served as the president of the Maine Principals Association.
Buckheit holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Pennsylvania Elementary Teaching Certification from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA and a master’s degree in school improvement and leadership from Goucher College in Towson, MD, where she also received the distinction of Phi Beta Kappa.
Metz is Manassas City Public Schools’ only middle school and has over 1,000 students in grades seven and eight. Serving more than 7,500 students, Manassas City Public Schools’ mission, in partnership with the community, is to provide an innovative, engaging, inspiring and challenging learning environment for all students.