Aimee Petrarca started her career in Lee County Schools all the way back in 1998, but her roots in the district run even deeper. As you enter her new office at West Lee Middle School, you are greeted with a team photo from the cheerleading team that she was a part of as an eighth grader at West Lee, her new post as Principal. 
Petrarca worked up from a teacher through the administrator ranks to take her first principalship at Greenwood Elementary. In 2020, she was moved from Greenwood Elementary to help chart the course as the principal of the relatively new W.B. Wicker Elementary School. In July, she made the jump to middle school, taking over as Principal at West Lee. Take a few minutes to catch up with Mrs. Petrarca and hear about her new assignment.
1) What was it about this new opportunity that drew you to it?
It is important to me that I try to model what I expect in teachers and in students. I want teachers and students to be open to new challenges. New challenges have always provided me with growth, perspective, and understanding.
I was a student at “West Lee Junior High”. When I went to West Lee it was the place to be! I learned so many important life lessons at West Lee. It was great to be a student at West Lee then, and I want it to be great to be a student at West Lee now. I want to have a hand in bringing those experiences to students.
2) What has been the most surprising thing about your new role?
I am pleasantly surprised to see how much students grow and change during their middle school years. There are many students here who had me as their principal at either Greenwood or WB Wicker. I know where some of them began their journey and it is really great to see everything we worked for in Elementary beginning to come together.
Middle school is known for many things. The reputation of middle school is not always glamorous or desirable. I am happy to set the record straight! Middle grades are full of potential and excitement. Seeing students become young adults is a privilege. I have never aspired to be in middle school. I truly thought my entire career would be elementary, but I am here and loving it! Kids are kids. I very much enjoy my students at West Lee and I think they are beginning to get to know me. It has been an action-packed Month.
3) What has been the most challenging adjustment to your new building and role?
The systems are very different between Elementary and Middle. Learning new teachers, new students, and new systems is a lot in the beginning. As much as I enjoy my new students and all that comes with their age, I do often miss my little ones. You cannot walk the halls of an Elementary school and not feel the love that students have for their teachers and principals.
Middle schoolers are a bit more reserved and cautious. As expected, they want to figure me out a bit more before they decide what they think. As long as the students come to know that I expect them to do hard things, to set goals that they will be proud of, and to conduct themselves in ways that make the world a better place, then I will feel like we created the right relationships here at school.
4) Sometimes a new or fresh set of eyes can be really helpful to see things from a different perspective. What has been the most encouraging thing that you have found in your first few weeks at West Lee?
The potential here is significant. Students and teachers are already rising to the expectations that I have presented. Growing a school and changing a school culture is not for the weak. I have a great team and they are all up for the challenge.
