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Webb, Pierce Middle Schools Get New Principals

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 25, 2009

TOWN ’N COUNTRY - One new middle school principal is taking over at his current school, and one is returning to the place where he spent junior high and his first years of teaching.

The Hillsborough County school board appointed principals for Webb and Pierce middle schools Tuesday night. Webb's assistant principal, Marcos Murillo, was promoted to principal, and Henry Lefler, an assistant principal at Williams Middle, will come to Pierce.

Murillo, 33, has worked at Webb for a year and said he wants to keep the momentum that Principal Brent McBrien established. Students are enjoying the school year, and Murillo wants to build off their enthusiasm and continue to work to improve academics.

"He's been instrumental in the resurgence," said McBrien, who has been splitting his time between Webb and his new job as principal at Davidsen Middle School.

Murillo has a presence that students respond to and the teachers know his expectations, which should make the transition easier, McBrien said. Murillo helped McBrien hire several of the teachers for this school year.

Murillo has spent his teaching career at middle schools. He started as a teacher at Stewart Middle Magnet School in 1999. He has also taught at Adams and Benito before moving into administration as assistant principal at Turkey Creek Middle in 2004. From there, he went to Liberty in 2006 and Webb in January 2008.

Lefler, 39, attended Pierce and returned to the school for his first teaching job in 1995. He was excited to come back to take over for Victor Fernandez, who is moving about a mile away to Leto High School.
"Mr. Fernandez has laid a foundation that is an opportunity for me to extend what he has created," Lefler said.

He wants to emphasize student learning at Pierce and work with Fernandez as he prepares his students for high school.

Board member Susan Valdes put in a plug for Lefler to continue an 11-year tradition at Pierce, the community spaghetti dinner, held before students take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

"The FCAT spaghetti dinner is a must," she said.

"That was one of the interview questions," Deputy Superintendent Ken Otero quipped.
Lefler taught at Pierce for six years before becoming assistant principal at B.T. Washington Middle School. In 2003, he headed to Williams to serve as its assistant principal.

His appointment is effective April 6. Murillo starts his job officially on March 9.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503.

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