I had the honor to interview our “Mighty Manatee” during our MelTV morning show.
Meet our new 2024-2025 principal: Carmen J. Harris, newly appointed principal of Melrose Elementary School. “When I learned about your rich history and the impact that you all have had in the community, I was excited to have an opportunity to partner with such an amazing school”- Dr. Harris
This year, as we move into the 24-25 school year, she believes that we will grow and continue to establish our strong practice of building a strong school community, as we “Mount Up Manatees”. Dr. Harris will be empowering all students, staff and community as we move full-steam ahead!
Dr. Harris is native Floridian and have resided in Tampa for the past 9 years. She is married and the mother of 4 children, aged from 6 years to college graduate. She is a die-hard Florida State University fan as she graduated from there with a Bachelors of Education degree, so do not be surprised if you hear her shout “Go Noles.” in the hallways of Melrose. She continued her learning at High Point University, with a Masters of Education in Leadership and closed out at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, with a Doctor of Education degree, in Curriculum and Instruction.
As a leader, she believes students have a right to the best educational experiences. “To achieve this, I believe an equitable, diverse and rich learning environment will help create the space for this to happen.” Dr. Harris. She looks at all children as her own and believe the rewards, sacrifices and consequences needed to produce a “Harris” kid, are the same that should and will be applied to all students in the learning environment. She also commits to being visible and accessible, with ears and heart open to collaborate with all stakeholders to produce these outcomes. She added: ” Our families are an integral part of our journey. By partnering together, we can speak to our students’ experiences in and out of school and help our students make connections every day.” She is confident that our teachers have an opportunity to serve our students and families through daily preparation and demonstration, in order to meet our students’ individual needs.
Her last message was to all staff and students: “My door is always open and I look forward to an amazing school year”.
