Newly hired Charlottesville High School Principal Aaron Bissonnette resigned last week with little explanation six days before students were set to return to school and two days after teachers came back to their classrooms.
In a letter sent to parents Thursday, Bisonnette cited “personal matters that have arisen,” saying he would leave at the end of the day.
“We are disappointed with this unexpected change, and we wish Aaron the very best as he attends to personal matters,” city schools spokeswoman Beth Cheuk said in a press release. “We appreciate his brief but meaningful service to Charlottesville High School, and we would welcome his return to the division in the future.”
Replacing Bissonnette at the helm is Jill Dahl, the current assistant principal at CHS, who has been an assistant principal in City schools since 2011.
County schools look for outside help for Walton
Through a recent request for proposals, Albemarle County Public Schools staff announced the division is looking to “rebrand” Walton Middle School. The request comes on the heels of numerous leadership and student conduct complaints, and the hiring of a new assistant principal, Rick Vrhovac, who came to Walton from Albemarle High School earlier this summer after parents’ concerns over discipline issues escalated.
The RFP cites a “wider perception that there are special problems at Walton that need to be resolved.”
Spokesman Phil Giaramita said the division is seeking the benefits of an outside perspective of the school’s climate, and told a reporter the effort was initiated by former Chief Operating Officer Josh Davis, who left the division in July.
“It’s an opportunity to examine what resources an agency could bring that we don’t have,” Giaramita said, adding that the division’s decision on whether to hire a consultant will depend on the proposals received and on cost.
