JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Douglas Anderson School of the Arts will have a new leader next year.
The current principal of Riverside High School, Timothy Feagins, will take over the position next year, according to a Duval County Public Schools announcement on Monday.
Tina Wilson, who served as principal of Douglas Anderson for three years, will transition to a new leadership district role to serve students with disabilities and their families, DCPS Interim Superintendent Dana Kriznar said.
"Ms. Wilson leaves Douglas Anderson as a highly accomplished principal. She came to the school with the challenge of addressing racial and cultural issues and then found herself leading the school through another period of crisis," said Kriznar.
Five teachers were removed from Douglas Anderson classrooms in just the last year and a half, with two teachers criminally charged.
Longtime vocal teacher Jeffery Clayton was arrested in March 2023 and pleaded guilty in April to charges of sexual misconduct with a student.
Chris Allen-Black, another teacher at Douglas Anderson, was arrested in February after he was accused of exposing himself at a Disney World hotel. Allen-Black's arrest prompted the district to issue an apology to parents after he remained in the classroom for 45 days.
The incidents at Douglas Anderson caught the attention of state lawmakers, including Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz and Florida Senator Clay Yarborough. Both lawmakers called for accountability from the school district, with Diaz calling the handling of Allen-Black's arrest "unacceptable."
In a response to Diaz, Kriznar pointed out six actions the district took to address necessary changes to ensure student safety.
"While the work has been difficult in the context of the issues with which you are all familiar, it has been a great honor and a tremendous growth experience for me to be in this role during this season," Wilson said in a statement to parents and staff on Monday.
According to Wilson, Douglas Anderson saw an increase in math, English language arts and science proficiency rates along with a 100 percent graduation rate under her leadership.
"I believe strongly that a proven, student-focused leader is exactly what Douglas Anderson requires for its next chapter," Kriznar said.
Feagins served as the leader of Riverside High School during its renaming from Robert E. Lee High School and also acted as the principal of Landon Middle School, where he "initially established himself as a highly capable school leader," Kriznar said.
The district said it plans to schedule an opportunity for community members to meet Feagins, though did not provide a timeframe for when that would be.
An email to Douglas Anderson families from Principal Tina Wilson reads:
Dear Douglas Anderson School of the Arts families and staff,
It has been an absolutely amazing three years for me here at Douglas Anderson.
Returning as principal to my own alma mater has been a joy that is nearly impossible to describe. In addition to my sentimental attachments to the DA campus and community, these three years have been marked by tremendous achievement and growth at our school including:
• Strong increases in proficiency rates for mathematics, English language arts, and science.
• A 100 percent graduation rate.
• Our first college showcase, and the reintroduction of “Showtime” for the students.
While the work has been difficult in the context of the issues with which you are all familiar, it has been a great honor and a tremendous growth experience for me to be in this role during this season. It is my love for DA’s students and incredibly talented team that makes this decision so difficult. However, I am writing to inform you that the district has offered me an opportunity to return to another passion of mine, and I feel the time is right for me to pursue that opportunity. That passion is working with exceptional education students, and I have accepted a district-level leadership position to serve these students and their families. While I will always cherish my time here in the DA community, I am the former principal of an exceptional student education center. For many educators, there is no greater reward than to work with exceptional education students and to partner with their caregivers in helping them thrive. I am excited to return to that work.
I know that many of you will wonder who will fill this seat at Douglas Anderson for next school year. I can tell you that district leadership will write to you very soon on that topic, so stay tuned for that. As school has ended for the year and as I transition to my next opportunity, I want to close with my appreciation for all of you. Douglas Anderson is an incredible school, and it is made so because of the talent of our students, the dedication of our staff, and the support and engagement of our families. Thank you for making my time on this stage such a blessing, and I wish all of you – and especially your students – the very best in the future.
With immense gratitude,
Principal Tina Wilson
Kriznar's full email to parents reads:
Dear Douglas Anderson families,
As you already know, Ms. Wilson will transition to a new leadership role in the district serving students with disabilities and their families.
Ms. Wilson leaves Douglas Anderson as a highly accomplished principal. She came to the school with the challenge of addressing racial and cultural issues and then found herself leading the school through another period of crisis. Through all of this, Ms. Wilson led the school to great academic success. I am grateful for the work of Principal Wilson and the entire team at Douglas Anderson. Among so many distractions, it is highly commendable that everyone’s focus remained on the success of their students.
I believe strongly that a proven, student-focused leader is exactly what Douglas Anderson requires for its next chapter. I am very pleased to announce that Mr. Timothy Feagins has accepted the offer to transition from Riverside High School to Douglas Anderson for the next school year. Having led Riverside through the name transition from Robert E. Lee High School, Mr. Feagins is highly familiar with the art of leading a team and leading students through challenging circumstances. Some families may remember Mr. Feagins from his days as principal of Landon Middle School, where he initially established himself as a highly capable school leader before transitioning to Lee/Riverside.
Once Mr. Feagins wraps things up at Riverside for the year and makes his way back across the river to DA, we will be sure to schedule an opportunity for all of you to meet him. For now, I just wanted you to be aware of this appointment. I hope you join me in appreciation for all that Ms. Wilson did for DA and in excitement for the school’s future under Mr. Feagins.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dana Kriznar
