Charter Schools USA has hired Delvin Vick as the new principal for Warrington Preparatory Academy. During his 25 years in education, Vick began his career in the classroom and moved through leadership positions, including assistant principal and principal in district-managed and charter schools. He most recently served as principal at Enterprise High School, a charter school in Clearwater.
Vick said he would approach his new job with passion and from an angle that might seem counterintuitive.
“Oftentimes, when you go in a situation where schools are doing poorly, the focus tends to be on discipline, discipline, discipline when the greater number of your kids, if you look at the school as a whole, are probably doing exactly what you asked them to do,” Vick said. “I try to focus on what is right and correct what is wrong, and I think at the base, discipline means to teach. When students are struggling, we have to teach them how to behave, create almost a counterculture to what they’re dealing with outside of school.”
He added, “The natural tendency is to come in and try to have a hard fist, and that just doesn’t work over time. You have to create a sense of belief and a sense of worth and celebrate the small wins and incremental growth that you see in students. And overall, they will buy in when they see themselves winning.”