The State College Area School Board on Monday unanimously approved a new principal for Park Forest Middle School.
Casey Yates will begin leading the school in Patton Township sometime after Jan. 1, according to the district.
Yates, a Pittsburgh native and a 2004 Penn State graduate, will come to State College from the Cumberland County School District in North Carolina, where she is principal of Brentwood Elementary. She previously served as assistant principal of Gray’s Creek High School in the same district.
“I am thrilled to be closer to family and to rejoin the community that shaped so much of who I am,” Yates said in a statement. “The State College Area School District embodies the balance of academic excellence and social-emotional growth of students. I am eager to contribute by continuing to strengthen Park Forest Middle School’s positive school culture and fostering a shared vision of collaboration and success for every student and staff member.”
Yates has spent the last 20 years in the Cumberland County School District, the fifth-largest in North Carolina. As assistant principal of the 1500-student Gray’s Creek High, she won a 2019 Wells Fargo Outstanding Educator Award.
Prior to her time as an administrator, she taught fourth and fifth grades at elementary schools in the district and was a media coordinator for Reid Ross Classical School, a school for students in grades six to 12 with a special focus on liberal arts and the use of current technology, according to a SCASD news release.
In addition to her bachelor’s degree in education from Penn State, Yates has earned a master’s of education from Fayetteville State University, a master’s in media library science from Eastern Carolina University, and a master’s in school administration from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Yates said in the release that her top priority at Park Forest Middles School will be “to ensure every student , valued and challenged through a supportive and engaging learning environment that empowers students to reach their full potential and succeed academically and personally,” according to the release.
“Casey brings a deep dedication for all students and a strong record as an instructional leader,” Jonathan Bucher, SCASD assistant superintendent for secondary education, said. “Her experience across the elementary, middle, and high school levels gives her a comprehensive understanding of the student journey, and we are thrilled for the positive impact her leadership will bring.”
Yates succeeds Karen Wiser, who had been on leave and officially retired in August, as principal of PFMS.
Tina Chambers Greene has served as interim principal will return to her previous role as assistant principal when Yates begins. Retired SCASD athletic director Chris Weakland has filled in as assistant principal.
“We are grateful to Tina and Chris for their commitment and leadership at Park Forest Middle School and are eager to welcome Casey to our community,” Bucher said.
