Behind the Office Doors

By: Sophia Hayes

This year we have a new smiling face around our campus, Principal Gina Fonseca. Mrs. Fonseca found her love for school through the memories she made in high school from joining clubs, participating in sports teams, and meeting life-long friends. Although she knew she wanted to do something related to education, Mrs. Fonseca’s path to becoming Nease’s newest principal includes years of education in a variety of positions. Some of the positions she has held over the years include a 7th grade science teacher
in Tampa, a human relations specialist, an assistant principal, a director of secondary curriculum for the district, and finally as a principal. Outside of her career, she loves spending time with family and helping those around her grow into better people. She met her husband in college and together they raised two successful children

Q&A

What advice do you have for high school students?
If you’re having a rough day try to focus on trying to help someone else and that is going to make you grow exponentially and it takes you away from being stuck in your place.

What is your family like?
I have a big Italian family and they are very important to me. I have a lot of family in Tampa, so I go down quite often for babysitting, wedding showers, and birthday parties.

What kind of student were you in high school?
I was kind of that kid that was involved in everything. I was a cheerleader, I was in band, I was in National Honor Society, I was in Mu Alpha Theta, and I hung out with a lot of different groups of kids.

What have you and Mr. Duggan, the new assistant principal, accomplished together?
We have done a lot of great things and right now I have put him in charge of clubs which I think is a perfect fit for him.

What future plans do you have for Nease?
I want to bring back Character Counts to our school and want to start a program where kids can earn parking spaces or other prizes.

How was transitioning from Freedom Crossing Academy, a K-8, to Nease High School?
It’s like going from [the rest of] Universal to Harry Potter World in the way that Harry Potter’s for older kids, but it’s still fun, exciting, and adventurous in a more mature way.