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Superintendent names high performing principal to lead North High School’s new educational program
North High School reaches key milestone in redesign process

MINNEAPOLIS – Dr. Bernadeia Johnson, Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), announced today that Dr. Shawn Harris-Berry, principal at Whittier International Elementary School and former north side principal, accepted the principal position for North High School and will be transitioning into this role before March 1. Collaboration with the North Advisory Committee helped to identify a high-performing principal who will lead the Institute for Student Achievement’s educational model at North High School.

“The selection of Dr. Harris-Berry is a key milestone in our determination to make North High a quality school for students,” said Johnson. “She is an exceptional principal with an unwavering commitment to student achievement and has a reputation as a strong transformational and instructional leader.”

Of her new position, Harris-Berry said, “I am beyond determined to lead North High School on the path to success. I am fully committed to initiating effective student recruitment strategies, hiring qualified staff, and collaborating with parents, businesses and community partners to further North’s mission to prepare every student for college and career.”

Since 2007, Harris-Berry has served as principal at Whittier International Elementary School. For nearly 10 years prior, she worked as an assistant principal serving the school communities of Anwatin Middle, Northeast Middle, Ramsey K-8, and Folwell Elementary. She also held an administrative intern position at Northeast from 1995 to 1996 and began her career at MPS in 1987 as a business teacher at Sanford Middle School. 

Dr. Johnson also announced that Vernon Rowe, assistant principal for Sanford Middle School, will join the North High leadership team as assistant principal and begin serving before March 1. Rowe has been employed at MPS since 1994 as a teacher, youth coordinator and assistant principal at Anwatin, Olson, and Anthony and Sanford middle schools. Rowe is known for building a strong student culture and seeking community partnerships that support critical aspects of student success.

Principal Peter Christensen came out of retirement to serve the North community beginning in the spring of 2011. He will remain at North High alongside Dr. Harris-Berry during the phase-out of the current North program, due to be completed in the spring of 2015. We thank him for his continued commitment to North. Johnson’s announcement also included that the current North High assistant principal Carly Jarva accepted an assistant principal position at Edison High School, to begin before March 1.