By Denise Herrera
Charter School Associates has selected former Michigan Superintendent, Dr. Chris Hammill, as the next Principal of Bell Creek Academy (BCA). Dr. Hammill replaces Dr. Margaret Fahringer who is moving to an Area Director role within the company. Dr. Hammill has an extensive leadership background, having held numerous building and district level leadership positions. Most recently, Hammill served as Chief School Operations Officer for Athlos Academies in Boise, Idaho. He has also served successfully as the Superintendent of Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools in Mt. Morris, MI; as well as, Owossa Public Schools in Owossa, MI. As a principal, Chris has turned around two low performing elementary schools, leading one to National Blue Ribbon status.
“Chris brings a tremendous amount of experience to Bell Creek. He has taken a single school to the point of national recognition and successfully managed the complex structure of a district. I believe this makes him the right leader for Bell Creek Academy, which is both a 6-8 middle school and a high school,” noted Michael Strader, President of Charter School Associates.
Bell Creek Middle School and High School are both ‘A’ rated schools based on the Florida Department of Education grading scale. Bell Creek Middle and High School have each earned designation as a Florida High Performing Charter School, the highest rating awarded by the Florida Department of Education.
Patricia Rogers is the Board Chair for Advantage Academy of Hillsborough, Inc., the local not-for-profit governing board that oversees BCA, and is pleased with the selection; “Bell Creek has established a strong reputation in the Hillsborough community; something of which we are all very proud. The addition of Dr. Hammill only bolsters our belief that Bell Creek will continue to be a great choice for our families.”
The board plans on hosting an Open House in the coming days to introduce Dr. Hammill to the community.
Bell Creek Academy consists of a Bell Creek Academy Middle School for grades 6-8 and Bell Creek Academy High School for grades 9-12. Both schools are managed by Charter School Associates, Inc. (CSA). CSA manages a total of twenty-three Florida-based charter schools.
Bell Creek Academy is located at 13221 Boyette Rd. in Riverview. Visit www.bellcreekacademy.com or call 793-6075 for more information.
