The Winslow School District Governing Board has chosen Dr. Justin Hartman as new principal overseeing Winslow High School. Hartman will replace Chris Gilmore, who has been part of the district for 18 years and has accepted a position as principal at Coronado High School in the Scottsdale School District.
“Winslow is a special place with many caring teachers and staff in the district. It is a great place to raise a family and I look forward to working with the new high school principal to ensure a smooth transition for the benefit of our students,” Gilmore wrote in a letter sent home with WHS students last week.
Hartman comes from a Winslow background, having been raised there, and has spent his entire professional career in the Winslow School District. In his 10 years in administrative service to the district, he has acted as assistant principal, federal programs coordinator, principal at Winslow Junior High School and most recently as athletic director at WHS. Hartman noted in his application for the position, “the diversity of these jobs has allowed me to develop a unique skillset that, I believe, will greatly benefit the stakeholders of Winslow High School.”
He also mentioned his very deep interest in the community and educational well being of Winslow, stating, “I am invested in the community with my wife being a tenured teacher of 17 years here and my twin daughters currently attending Winslow Junior High School.”
Hartman was chosen from a pool of five applicants by a committee comprised of one community member, representatives from both classified and certified district staff, and two administrators, for 11 members in total.
Recently selected Superintendent Cyndi Mattox has been involved in the process of finding a new principal. Mattox said, “I conducted an online survey of the staff at Winslow High, asking them to rank the characteristics of the principal they would like to see. Using that information, I researched questions for the committee to use.” The committee then relayed its choice to Mattox, who backed it, then presented it to the governing board, which voted unanimously in favor of Hartman at a March 16 meeting.
Mattox notted, “I’m very happy with the committee’s decision and looking forward to next year!”
Hartman will shadow Chris Gilmore as the transition takes place before officially taking over July 1.
