Freedom principal promoted to new job

By KENNETH KNIGHT | The Tampa Tribune
Published: February 22, 2012 Updated: February 22, 2012 - 12:00 AM

NEW TAMPA --

After four years at the helm, popular Freedom High Principal Chris Farkas is being promoted to a new district post.

Farkas is being replaced by David Sheppard, a school administrator from rival Wharton High.

With little fanfare, other than the announcement of administrative appointments at the Hillsborough County School Board's meeting Feb. 14, the two school leaders are making leaps to new posts in the middle of the school year.

Both men started their new jobs Monday.

Farkas leaves the Tampa Palms high school to assume a newly-created position as area leadership director for Area 8 in southern Hillsborough County.

The new post was needed in the school district's fast-growing south county area, said George Gaffney, who supervises schools in northeast Tampa and Temple Terrace. The school district operated with seven area directors for several years.

In his new role, Farkas will oversee 25 public schools. Most will be elementary and middle schools, along with three to four high schools, said Gaffney, who was Farkas' supervisor before the principal's promotion.

"He is a great guy," Gaffney said. "It's a well-deserved move."

Farkas was out of the country last week and could not be reached for comment.

He began teaching in 1997 at a high school in Alabama. Farkas came to the Hillsborough County School District in 1999 as a teacher at Brandon Alternative Center. He later became coordinator for youth services.

In 2004, he became an assistant principal at Tampa Bay Technical High. Two years later, Farkas was promoted to principal.

Farkas succeeded Richard Bartels as principal at Freedom in 2008. He is well-known as an approachable principal by students.

"The students really enjoyed Chris's interaction with them," Gaffney said. "He was very personable."

Gaffney said he expects students will welcome Sheppard with open arms.

Sheppard made the short drive down Bruce B. Downs Boulevard to Commerce Park Boulevard to assume his new duties at Freedom. Sheppard said he will miss Wharton students, teachers and staffers but it is time to take on new challenges.

Sheppard, 42, began his employment with the school district in 1993 as a science/biology/anatomy teacher at Leto High. The Lutz resident transferred to a teaching position at Wharton in 1999 to work closer to home. He and his wife, Donna, have two children, Allison, 12, and Austin, 6.

In 2004, Sheppard was promoted to Wharton's assistant principal of student affairs. He became the school's assistant principal of curriculum two years later. Sheppard said he is ready "to build on the solid foundation" established by Farkas and Bartels.

Last week, news of Sheppard's departure to rival Freedom had begun to trickle out. Sheppard said he had received widespread support from staff and little else.

"So far, it's been all good-natured ribbing," he said.

Sheppard considers a healthy, friendly rivalry between Wharton and Freedom, whether on the field or in the classroom, good for both schools.

"I think both schools can push each other to success," he said.

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Freedom principal promoted to new job