By B.C. Manion
Superintendent Kurt Browning has recommended the termination of Anna Falcone, principal of Connerton Elementary in Land O’ Lakes.
Falcone was placed on administrative leave March 22, pending the Pasco County School Board’s action on Browning’s recommendation.
Aimee Boltz will serve as acting principal until a permanent replacement is named.
Browning called for Falcone’s dismissal based on allegations that she breached confidentiality and had been insubordinate, according to a district release.
The breach of confidentiality related to a climate survey conducted in February at every school in the district that posed questions about school culture, communication, collaboration and other topics, said Linda Cobbe, district spokeswoman.
The questionnaires were filled out by staff, students and parents, and those completing them were assured their names and responses would be kept “strictly confidential,” Cobbe said.
At least three administrators told Falcone she could not have access to the names of school staff members who responded to the survey, but she got that information “under-handedly,” the release states. Individual responses were not compromised.
Browning said it was brought to his attention “that Mrs. Falcone persisted in seeking confidential information after repeatedly being denied the information by her superiors. … I cannot and will not tolerate such insubordination, especially when it brings into question the integrity of this school system.”
After previous complaints about Falcone’s leadership, former Superintendent Heather Fiorentino transferred an assistant principal and gave staff members the option to transfer to other schools.
Browning also said, “We were working with Mrs. Falcone to address parental and staff concerns by assigning a principal coach and providing additional supports from the district. Unfortunately, her actions related to the surveys constitute insubordination, violate district policy and may violate the educator code of ethics.”
Falcone started her career in Pasco schools an as intermediate teacher at San Antonio Elementary. She was an assistant principal at Pine View Elementary before being appointed as principal at Sanders Elementary, both in Land O’ Lakes.
She took leadership of Connerton when Sanders closed and the students, faculty and staff moved to the Land O’ Lakes school when it opened in 2010.
An attempt was made to reach Falcone by email at the school on March 22, but it was unsuccessful.
—Editor Kyle LoJacono contributed to this story
