MEDIA RELEASE
Brooksville - Hernando Schools Superintendent John Stratton, School Board members and district leaders made two surprise visits to announce the 2023 leaders of the year for the school district. Their first stop was to Challenger K-8, where they announced Principal Rosemarie Maiorini as the 2023 Principal of the Year; then to Powell Middle School to announce Alex Rastatter as the 2023 Assistant Principal of the Year. Both Maiorini and Rastatter were quite surprised as they were greeted with flowers, balloons and a gathering of family, coworkers and friends.
Maiorini, who is a graduate of Central High School, began her career with the district in 1995 as an elementary teacher at JD Floyd. In 2015, she was selected as assistant principal of Challenger K8 before taking over as the school's principal in 2018. "I am overwhelmed," Maiorini said. "I'm so appreciative and thankful. I work with amazing people who help me through everything. I'm just blown away. I am proud to represent Hernando County."
"Ms. Maiorini is a model of servant leadership. She is a passionate advocate for kids and teachers and works alongside her team to create a positive school culture," said Superintendent John Stratton. "Roe is described as a caring mentor to other aspiring leaders and is an instrumental part of the school district's success. You only have to spend a few minutes with her parents, students or staff to hear how much she is appreciated."
Rastatter is also a product of Hernando County Schools, graduating from Central High School in 2002. She began working with the district in 2003 as a substitute teacher, then as a secretary before becoming a teacher in 2008. She has been the Assistant Principal at Powell since 2018.
"Alex is invaluable member of our team and an amazing individual," said Tom Dye, Principal of Powell Middle School. "Her biggest strength is that she is proactive instead of reactive. If there is an issue, she acts, giving her full attention and making sure there is a resolution. She's reliable, resourceful and respected by the entire staff. I really don't have enough good things to say about her. If I could create a dream team of administrators, Alexandra Rastatter would be my number one pick!"