Florida’s principal of the year hails from this Broward high school

Michelle Kefford, principal of Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, is Florida’s 2019 principal of the year.

Kefford was awarded the Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership and a cash prize of $3,500 Tuesday by the Florida State Board of Education and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran.

Kefford, 44, has worked in the Broward school district for two decades. Since coming to Flanagan High as principal in 2011, she is credited with the school’s earning its first ever “A” grade from the state. The school has received an A for six of the last seven years.

According to a release from the Broward County school district, Kefford has initiated several programs, including a mentoring one and an initiative that encourages middle school students to earn high school credits at Flanagan High. She has also been involved in several district, city and county committees.

“We are extremely proud of Principal Kefford, as she represents a stellar group of education leaders who are the best that our district has to offer,” said BCPS Superintendent Robert W. Runcie in a statement. “She has developed numerous programs, which focus on developing relationships, which ultimately benefit her students.”

This story was originally published March 20, 2019 at 1:07 PM.