New Hillhouse Principal Promises "Full Court Press" | New Haven Independent
When he steps off the basketball court to take charge of Hillhouse High School, Kermit Carolina’s first job will be to build four new “schools.”
Carolina (pictured above), who has coached the Hillhouse boys basketball team for six years, was approved by the school board Monday night as the school’s new principal. Carolina is currently the basketball coach and assistant principal. He will replace Lonnie Garris, who’s retiring after 20 years on the job.
Carolina, who’s 42, starts his new job Thursday with a salary of $129,405, a $22,679 raise. He will step down as basketball coach.
Before joining Hillhouse as assistant principal in 2007, Carolina taught history at Riverside Education Academy and served as in-school suspension coordinator at a transitional high school. In 1992, he founded the Hot-Shot Summer Camp, a program for kids from West Rock, Dixwell, Newhallville and Dwight.
His appointment brings the school district halfway to its goal of filling two vacant spots at the city’s largest high schools. Wilbur Cross remains without a new leader as of July 1.
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