The first part of Tuesday night’s School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) meeting included time to recognize the district’s top administrators of the year.
Justin Russell, principal at Littlewood Elementary School, and Heather Lowry, assistant principal at Glen Springs Elementary School, were recently named this year’s principal and assistant principal of the year, respectively.
David Shelnutt, the district’s director of data analytics, accountability and evaluation, said Russell and Lowry were nominated and voted on by their peers.
“So, both of the two representatives we’re recognizing tonight have definitely earned the respect of their colleagues, which I think makes it even that much more special,” he said.
Shelnutt read a short biography of both Russell and Lowry.
Russell moved to Gainesville in 2003 to attend the University of Florida. After graduating from UF, he took a job teaching sixth-grade science at Kanapaha Hall Middle School in 2007.
Shelnutt noted that Russell spent 10 years working at Kanapaha, where he served as not only a science teacher but also a science department chair, dean of students, assistant principal of administration and assistant principal of curriculum.
During that decade at Kanapaha, Shelnutt said Russell returned to UF to get his master’s degree in educational leadership. In 2017, Russell was appointed principal at Littlewood, where he has served for close to 10 years.
Shelnutt said in Russell’s first year as principal at Littlewood, the school increased its grade from a C to a B. This past school year, Littlewood made another jump, going from a B to an A.
Shelnutt noted that the A grade was particularly significant, given that Littlewood and its community spent an entire year operating out of a transition school while its campus underwent renovations.
Students and staff were able to move into the newly revitalized campus ahead of this school year.
Unlike Russell, Lowry is in her first year serving at Glen Springs. Before joining Glen Springs, she spent two years serving as the assistant principal at Hidden Oak Elementary School.
“She brings a strong foundation of education with 12 years of classroom teaching experience and five years as a behavior resource teacher,” Shelnutt said.
Shelnutt added that Lowry, who attended Lincoln and Fort Clarke Middle School and is a graduate of Buchholz High School, is also getting close to completing her coursework for her doctorate in educational leadership and will start her dissertation in spring 2026.
Both Russell and Lowry were invited up to the front of the room individually to accept a plaque from interim Superintendent Kamela Patton and get a photo with board members.
“On behalf of the superintendent and board, we appreciate everything you do every day for our students, and what all of our school-based administrators do,” Board Chair Sarah Rockwell said.
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.