What to Know
- Kefford will be replacing Ty Thompson, who announced Friday that he will be stepping down from his position at the end of the school year.
Just days after the principal of a Parkland high school the day of a deadly mass shooting on campus announced he was stepping down, students and teachers are finding out who will be taking his spot starting next fall.
Sources with Broward County Schools told NBC 6 that Michelle Kefford will take over starting in the 2019-20 school year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Kefford, who has spent 17 years in education and has degrees from Florida State University, FIU and Florida Atlantic University, comes to MSD from Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines – where she has been in charge since 2011 and was named the state of Florida’s Principal of The Year this past school year.
An official announcement will take place Monday afternoon.
Kefford will be replacing Ty Thompson, who announced Friday that he will be stepping down from his position at the end of the school year – citing health and family as his reasons for leaving.
"Advisors and fellow colleagues always said take care of yourself. If at any point you feel like it is affecting your family or your health you need to make a change. That time has come,” Thompson said in a message to MSD families. “I wanted to stay and see this through but I just can't continue at this pace. My decision was not an easy one."
Thompson was principal in February 2018 when authorities say a former student opened fire at the school, killing 17 people. He was added to a school district investigation in March, when his responsibilities were reassigned to other administrators as the school’s day-to-day operations have been managed by Principal Teresa Hall, who joined MSD as co-principal in July 2018.
Thompson, who has led MSD since 2013, was not on campus when the shooting happened. A state panel investigating the shooting criticized Thompson in December for not being informed on how his administration handled student threats.
