Liberty High School gets new principal

BEDFORD — Liberty High School has a new principal, Bedford County School officials announced Thursday.

The division hired Mary Howlett-Brandon, of Stafford, to fill the position that was vacated in July when Cherie Whitehurst, who served three years in the post, was appointed as new assistant superintendent. Howlett-Brandon has been a teacher and administrator at Stafford County Public Schools since August 1999.

Her hire is Bedford County’s second transplant this year in school administration from Stafford County Public Schools — Superintendent Douglas Schuch was also hired in February after serving the Stafford division that is more than double the size of Bedford’s division of roughly 10,600 students.

“We’re looking forward to her leadership at that school,” Schuch said.

Since 2004, Howlett-Brandon has served as assistant principal at Brooke Point High School and spent five months as interim principal during the 2007-08 school year. The school has an enrollment of more than 1,600 students compared to Liberty High School’s enrollment of fewer than 1,000 students.

Schuch said she was chosen out of roughly 50 people who applied for the position.

Howlett-Brandon earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and a second bachelor’s degree from Park College, now Park University, according to a news release. She holds a master’s degree in education from Old Dominion University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University.

She was not present at Thursday’s Bedford County School Board meeting and was informed of her appointment by Whitehurst through phone at its conclusion.

“She came across as extremely knowledgeable and had great communication skills,” Whitehurst said of Howlett-Brandon’s qualities, adding that she is strong in the areas of instruction and discipline. “I think she’s an excellent fit for Liberty High School ... she has great collaborative skills and will be able to pull the faculty together and take them to the next level.”

Howlett-Brandon will start the new position Sept. 28.