Gulf County School Board names Ron Hensley principal at Wewahitchka High School

The Gulf County School Board on Friday introduced Ron Hensley as the new principal of Wewahitchka High School after a district hiring committee recommended him following an outside search.

The board and district staff said the hire is part of an effort to energize Wewahitchka ahead of the 2025–26 school year. District staff described a competitive search that drew both in-district and out-of-state candidates and concluded with Hensley and a Bay County colleague selected to lead the school.

Superintendent Norton said the board had hired Hensley and that Karen Shaver will move into a new district role overseeing career and technical education and technology. Melissa, a district staff member who helped lead the search committee, told the board the process produced 11 applicants and that the committee included district staff, Wewahitchka community members and a teacher. "We had 11 applicants for principal, and we were very excited because, we saw that there was a majority of them with experience. We did have some from in district, out of district, and out of state. We even had a applicant from Dubai," Melissa said.

Melissa said the committee — which she identified as including staff members and community representatives Jerry Gaskin, Crystal Ache and Lana Harrison — narrowed the field and was impressed by Hensley's instructional plan. "Mister Hensley impressed us with his instructional leadership capabilities, already outlining simple plan, which is key, and communicating with the faculty and staff, getting to know them and their dynamics, getting to know the students and their families was an integral part of assisting them in the academic process and making that a priority," Melissa said.

District remarks note that the assistant-principal position for Wewahitchka had previously been "mothballed" and was restored as part of the staffing recommendation. The board also recommended a Bay County principal, identified in the meeting as Gordy, to join the Wewahitchka leadership team; district speakers described the pair as a "dynamic duo" who complement each other in instructional leadership and student support.

Hensley, who the district said presently serves as principal of Bullitt Middle School in Bay County, told the board he felt "very humbling" about the appointment and said he looks forward to building relationships in the Wewahitchka community. He also said his children will remain enrolled at Port St. Joe High School for family reasons: "I'm a very family oriented person. We make decisions based, you know, on what's best for our family," Hensley said.

Board members offered congratulations during board comments. Board member Matt Terry and others praised the hire and thanked school maintenance and district staff for their work supporting schools during a busy end-of-year period.

The district indicated the hires were approved by the board at the meeting, though the transcript did not record the formal motion text, mover/second or a roll-call vote in the portion provided.

Looking ahead, district staff said the new leaders will begin work preparing for the 2025–26 school year and will spend initial time getting to know faculty, students and families to prioritize instructional improvements.