Eastmont School Board approves hiring of Celebrezze
March 9, 2015
The Eastmont School Board unanimously approved the hiring of Wenatchee High School Principal Bob Celebrezze as the principal of Clovis Point Intermediate School at tonight’s regular board meeting.
Out of 20 applicants and three interviewed, Celebrezze was selected to be recommended by Eastmont Superintendent Garn Christensen. Current Clovis principal, Dennis Gibson, is set to retire at the end of this year, Eastmont’s Executive Director of Human Relations Vicki Trainor said.
“We won’t task him with anything until July 1,” Christensen said after tonight’s approval. “He’s stepping into a really well-run school.”
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The Apple Leaf requested an interview with Celebrezze early this afternoon, but it was later declined. He was hired as WHS principal in 2013 after coming from Moscow High School in Idaho. Although Celebrezze has only been principal at WHS for two years, Christensen is not concerned because he said it’s not a pattern for Celebrezze.
Interviews took place last Friday, Trainor said. Christensen and Trainor were at WHS this morning interviewing students and staff in the hall about Celebrezze. This afternoon, Trainor said sometimes things move quickly.
“Really big high schools are hard to lead in any community,” Christensen said.
Christensen said during Celebrezze’s interview, he expressed that WHS was too big for him, even though he was doing his best to be successful.
A transition process with Gibson, Christensen said, will be worked out between Celebrezze and Gibson.
Check back for continuing coverage of this story.
Tom Wright • Mar 10, 2015 at 4:08 pm
I cannot imagine anyone particularly wanting to take on the job of high school principal in today’s educational climate. Continuously changing mandates in high stakes testing, change for change’s sake, evaluation systems that are ever more rigorous yet still can be subjective, increasing numbers of broken homes and potentially broken children all combined with community insistence on excellence make the job nearly impossible for any one person who must be a building and instructional leader, consensus builder and fence mender. Whoever is hired next is going to be the 7th principal in the last 15 years at WHS. I wish that person well because it is not going to be a walk in the park.
Don ozzy De nova • Mar 10, 2015 at 12:32 pm
Mr celebrezze can’t handle big things he used to little things
anonymus • Mar 10, 2015 at 10:12 am
BRING BACK FRANZA!!!!
dan • Mar 10, 2015 at 8:21 am
Wenatchee high school is “a really big high school”? I have to assume they are referring to this area only.
Jan Kelso • Mar 9, 2015 at 6:22 pm
What is WHS too big for him? He should have thought of that 2 years ago. I hate to see short term employment when there is a new hire unless there is a realistic reason for termination.
Suellen Harris • Mar 9, 2015 at 6:17 pm
I assume you will be at the meeting and will report later tonight why this surprising abdication from Panther pride to Wildcat status. Congratulations for scooping the Wenatchee World, again.