Two schools in the Petal School District are welcoming new principals – although both are familiar faces – as part of a transition to succeed the longtime principal at Petal Primary School.
The school district’s board of trustees recently announced that Emily Branch, who currently serves as principal at Petal Upper Elementary School, will move into that role at Petal Primary School. She takes over for Tessa Trim, who had served in the district for 19 years and recently decided to seek new opportunities in education.
Meanwhile, Ashley Harvey, currently assistant principal at Petal Upper Elementary School, will take over as principal for Branch at that school.
“We are very excited about Mrs. Branch and Mrs. Harvey’s new roles at Petal Primary and Petal Upper Elementary,” said Matt Dillon, superintendent of the Petal School District. “Based on their leadership experience, internal knowledge of our district and existing relationships with staff, I am confident they will further enhance the wonderful things already happening (in the district).”
Branch has served 25 years as a educator, including 20 years in the Petal School District. For the last seven years, she has been the lead principal at Petal Upper Elementary School, a position she took after serving as the school’s assistant principal for three years.
Branch also was an Ole Miss Principal Corps intern for one year at Petal High School and Petal Elementary School. This will be her second stint at Petal Primary School, as she previously taught kindergarten and first grade – and served as a PLO leader – at that campus.
Branch holds a National Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Millsaps College, a master’s degree in elementary education from William Carey University and a specialist degree in educational leadership from the University of Mississippi.
Harvey has 17 years of experience in education and has served as assistant principal of Petal Upper Elementary School for the past year. She served as the assistant principal of Petal Primary School for six years, and was the leader of Petal+ as well as leader of the science cohort.
Prior to coming to Petal, Harvey was a building-level administrator in the Mobile County Public School System and spent eight years teaching middle school.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in history with an emphasis in history education from the University of Southern Mississippi, along with a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of South Alabama.
Trimm had spent 11 years as an administrator and eight years as a classroom teacher. She has been named Petal School District Administrator of the Year, National Distinguished Principal and Petal School District Teacher of the Year during her stint at the Petal School District.
