Tamara Brooks, who has worked for Hillsborough County Public Schools for 25 years, is the new principal at Mulrennan Middle School.
She is transferring from Buckhorn Elementary, where she was its principal for 12 years. Prior to that position, she was an assistant principal at Seffner Elementary for six years.
Brooks is relishing the switch and additional responsibility, which includes managing the major administrative tasks and supervising all students and teachers at the school, which has a student body of 1,400 students. Buckhorn’s student body included 780 students.
“Buckhorn’s students feed into Mulrennan, and I have an established connection with these students and their parents,” she said. “I look forward to continuing those relationships and making new connections with the rest of the student body, the community and school staff.”
Samantha Dunn Hagy, mom to an incoming sixth-grade student who attended Buckhorn Elementary, posted on Facebook that she’s thrilled about the switch.
“I do still have a child at Buckhorn, but to know Ms. Brooks will be at Mulrennan makes me so excited,” she said.
While at Buckhorn, Brooks’ mission was to provide a learning environment where students felt motivated to achieve to the best of their abilities in order to become successful and responsible citizens. Brooks said her goals for this school year include keeping everyone safe, making sure they’re learning and having fun while completing those goals.
“That’s my job in a nutshell, providing a rich and safe learning environment for students,” she said.
She hopes her students will develop the vital character trait of courage to work hard, stick with it when things get tough, build grit and do so bravely.
Her advice to the teachers?
“Let students rise to every challenge you put in front of them and you will be surprised what they can accomplish,” she said.
She said she is also tuning into the school’s already established traditions and culture created by Tim Ducker, its former principal of 15 years.
Brooks acknowledged that she has big shoes to fill.
“Luckily, I have size 10 feet,” joked Brooks.
For more information about Mulrennan Middle School, visit https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/mulrennan or call 651-2100.
