Janet Hupp was heartbroken to hear she was leaving Palmetto Middle School. However there was consolation in the fact that she was returning as principal to Palmetto Senior High, the school where she had spent much of her career.

Principal Janet Hupp

"We had done so much, and had so much left to do at the middle school, but I’m confident Dr. [Judith] Anton will do a fine job, and my love for this school [Palmetto Senior] runs very deep," Hupp said.

Hupp started as a member of the Palmetto Senior faculty in 1977 after a brief stint at South Dade Senior. She was a Home Economics teacher at Palmetto until 1989, and during that time held many leadership positions, such as department chair, cadre (school-based management) chair, and National Honor Society sponsor.

Hupp then served at Miami Beach Senior as curriculum assistant principal from 1990 to 1992, before she returned to Palmetto Senior in the same capacity. She held that post until moving to Palmetto Middle to take the principal’s job in 1996.

"When I was here as AP, Leonard Glazer, our principal at that time, used to say that he was "proud to be a Panther." That really typifies the sentiment of the staff, students and faculty here. That’s why it was so tough to leave here, and why it’s so great to be back," Hupp said.

Hupp’s move back to Palmetto Senior was necessitated by the departure of principal Millie Fornell. Fornell is leaving Palmetto to head the start-up of the new Felix Varela Senior High School in West Dade, a job she had looked forward to for some time. "I know Millie loved Palmetto very much, had done a very fine job, and was sad to leave, but the opportunity to start from scratch at Felix Varela was a dream come true for her and too good to pass up," Hupp said.

Hupp is operating with a particularly high sense of urgency right now because this year not only will the students be taking the FCAT, but Palmetto will be up for its 10-year accreditation. Hupp is looking forward to the accreditation process, because it will make her own job that much easier in the future, even if in the short term it makes things a little more hectic.

"The accreditation team doesn’t just give you a passing or failing grade, they do a comprehensive study which details the positives and negatives they see here at Palmetto. Not that there are that many negatives at a school like Palmetto, but it is very helpful to have an outside source come in and help us recognize what areas need improvement," she said.

Luckily, Hupp is very familiar with the staff at Palmetto Senior, and will not have to worry too much about the acclimation process.

"I went over the list of faculty after I got the job and discovered that I already know 76 of the staff members. What’s more, the new members of the staff have been extremely welcoming and seem excited about having me here. The staff here has always been very caring and very professional and very talented, and I would bet they are one of the most experienced groups in the county. They should make the transition much easier," Hupp said.

Once settled, Hupp would like to bring in some of the innovations she started at Palmetto Middle, like her popular "What’s up with Hupp?" program. Hupp won’t limit herself to programs previously developed — she wants to work with the faculty, students and parents to build on the great reputation Palmetto Senior already has.

"When you talk about the assets that Palmetto Senior possesses, you come back to the same three things: tremendously talented faculty and staff, the best student body anywhere, and the most involved, supportive network of parents that I’ve ever worked with. With a proud tradition like that, it’s hard to go wrong," she said.