Jablonski picked as new Patrick Henry High principal

The assistant principal was announced Monday as the replacement for retiring Connie Ratcliffe.

Joe Jablonski

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Previous coverage

PH’s Ratcliffe retiring at end of school year. February 8, 2013.

Retiring principal makes her mark at Patrick Henry. May 30, 2013.

Annie McCallum | 981-3227

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

A Patrick Henry High School assistant principal has been tapped to lead the Roanoke school.

Assistant Principal Joe Jablonski has been named the school’s new leader. According to a news release from the school system, the school board is expected to approve Jablonski’s appointment at a meeting next month.

He fills the role of Principal Connie Ratcliffe, who is retiring after six years leading the school, one of the largest in the Roanoke Valley.

Jablonski, 40, has been an administrator at the school since 2007. He was an English language learners specialist at Lucy Addison Middle School for two months before becoming an assistant principal at Patrick Henry.

He was one of two finalists for the job. Kathy Duncan , Roanoke Technical Education Center principal and the system’s career technical education director, was the other.

The decision to appoint Jablonski was announced in a news release Monday evening, and Superintendent Rita Bishop also told staff members of Jablonski’s selection at the end of Monday’s school board work session.

She said while the board still has to formally sign off on the decision, it does allow Jablonski to begin work. Bishop also said Duncan had withdrawn her application for “personal reasons.”

“She is an outstanding administrator,” Bishop said, adding she’s glad Duncan is still with the system.

After the meeting, Bishop declined to comment further on Duncan’s withdrawal. She said Jablonski’s official start date will be July 1, but he will begin work in the meantime.

Before coming to the Roanoke Valley, Jablonski was a teacher and administrator in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas. According to information from Roanoke City Public Schools, he taught for six years and was dean of students for two years at schools in Nevada.

He has two bachelor’s degrees from the University of New Mexico and two master’s degrees from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

In a statement Jablonski said he’s honored to become the school’s principal.

“I look forward to working with students, teachers, and the community to continue the successes here at PH and take the school to the next level,” he said.

In other news, the board:

n Approved a budget amendment for fiscal year 2012-13 after figures show the system could go over budget.

The amendment increases allocations to the general fund, the food services fund and the athletics fund. According to agenda materials, external auditors advised the school system increase its budget because “there is a prospect that spending in each of the funds could exceed budget.”

The amendment of $7.1 million must now be signed off on by the city council. The council will also have to hold a public hearing because the change to the budget is greater than 1 percent.

Deputy Superintendent Curt Baker said the system likely will not end up in the red. He pointed out that while expenditures may be higher than budgeted in the system’s food services fund, the system’s total revenues are also expected to be greater than anticipated. He said with the exception of food services, the system is on budget.

After the meeting, Baker called amendment an “abundance of caution.”

Final expenditures won’t be known until after Aug. 31, according to agenda materials.

n Endorsed its 2013-14 line item budget, which officials said is nearly identical to the categorical budget passed earlier this year. The approximately $167 million spending plan marks an increase in spending from the current fiscal year and will draw on the system’s fund balance.

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