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Local
Interim Appointee Named To Replace Retiring Sheriff
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last Thursday, Gover- nor Rick Scott appointed Col. Chad Chronister, 49, a 25-year veteran with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, as Interim Sheriff. He will assume the duties of cur- rent Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee on Octo- ber 1, 2017.
Sheriff Gee decided to accept an early retirement after serving the citizens of Hillsborough County for nearly 39 years. He was elected Sheriff in 2004.
Sheriff Gee will retire on September 30th. Col. Chro- nister was chosen to com- plete his term, which ends in November 2018.
COLONEL CHAD CHRONISTER
... Newly appointed Interim Hillsborough County Sheriff
Col. Chronister began his career with the Hillsbo- rough County Sheriff’s Office in 1992. He has a Master’s Degree in Criminology from St. Leo University and is a graduate of the FBI National
Among those attending the press conference Thursday af- ternoon were from left to right: Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Mrs. Nicole and her husband, new sheriff Colonel Chad Chronister, Governor Rick Scott, Mrs. Rhonda Gee, and Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee. (Photo Courtesy of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
Support. His experience ranges from assignments in patrol, street crimes and S.W.A.T. to serving as a su- pervisor in the narcotics, war- rants and intelligence sections and the Community Outreach Division.
He serves as a board member to the following or- ganizations: Brooks DeBar- tolo Collegiate High School; the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay; the Friends of Hillsborough County Animal Services; the Jason Ackerman Foundation; MoreHealth; and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.
He is married to Mrs. Nicole DeBartolo Chro- nister and the father of two sons, Zack, 22, and 12-year- old Asher.
Academy’s 260th Session. Col. Chronister is cur-
rently the Commander of the Department of Operational
Hillsborough County Schools Earn National Certification
Six Hillsborough County schools are among the first in the country to earn the pres- tigious stamp of approval by the Magnet Schools of Amer- ica National Certification. The schools are: Lee Elemen- tary Magnet of World Studies and Technology, Shore Ele- mentary Magnet Center of the Arts, Sligh Middle Mag- net for Medical Studies and Explorations, Stewart Middle Magnet for Science, Technol- ogy, Engineering and Math, Jefferson High School Col- lege Preparatory Leadership Academies, and Middleton High School Pre-Collegiate STEM Academy.
They are among only 55 nationally, out of more than 4,300 magnet schools, to earn the recognition.
Robert Cox, Hillsbor- ough County Public Schools Supervisor of Magnet Pro- grams said, “Families at these schools, those that may be considering these schools, and the communities in which these schools reside can be excited by the fact that these sites have gained notice on a large scale for working every day to go above and be- yond in providing an engag-
ing and diverse atmosphere in which kids can learn and excel. It isn’t something that we just tout within our dis- trict, it is something that is recognized across the United States now.”
The certification was awarded after a competitive nine-month review of schools, based on Magnet School Standards of Excel- lence and the five pillars of magnet schools: diversity; in- novative curriculum and pro- fessional development; academic excellence; high- quality instructional systems; and family and community partnerships. While the re- view was external, the process also forced school leaders to take a closer look at their practices through self- study.
All of the participating schools were pilots, applying in the Magnet Schools of America’s first ever certifica- tion process. Cox called it a leap of faith.
“These schools jumped in when they had no idea what to expect, no idea how much work it would be and no idea what the result would be,” he said.
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