Long-time North Fort Myers High School Principal Kimberley Lunger will be the new principal at Cape Oasis High, a city-run charter school.

Current Oasis High School Principal Chris Terrill has accepted the superintendent’s position at Pine Lake Preparatory School.

“Pine Lake is a Charter School System in Mooresville, North Carolina,” said City of Cape Coral Charter School Superintendent Dr. Lee Bush. “This a wonderful opportunity for Chris. Chris has left a lasting legacy as founding principal of both Oasis Middle and Oasis High School.

“He will be missed.”

Of now having Lunger as the new Oasis High School principal, he said, “We are very excited to have Ms. Lunger join our administrative team and help guide Oasis High School into a great future. We are very fortunate to have someone of her caliber and qualifications.”

If you ask Lunger how many years she has been at North Fort Myers High, she would say, “23 years as a professional, 26 years if you count my years here as a student.”

She has been principal there for the last eight years.

“After almost 30 years with a great school district, it is time for me to take on a new challenge. The students, parents, and teachers that I have met from Oasis have been welcoming and friendly. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone.”

Besides being a Golden Apple Award winner, she was named Social Studies Teacher of the Year, and the Rotary Club of North Fort Myers awarded her the Paul Harris Fellow.

“I am also familiar with the Cambridge AICE program (used at Oasis) since it is the latest program implemented at North.”

What are some of her favorite things about North Fort Myers High and its students?

“The family feeling and the spirit that has been prevalent here through several generations. Regardless of the programs we offer or the group of students who attend, the family and spirit never wavers.”

Of the greatest memories or events that stick out in her mind, she has many.

“Football games, fans at the football games, pep rallies, our first A, skyrocketing student test scores, our second A, wonderful musicals, athletic success (especially this year with several teams playing for the district championships), our third A, and spending time in the cafeteria with students wearing RED.”

Cape Coral High School Principal Matthew Mederios worked with Lunger as a teacher for four years and as the assistant principal for Curriculum for five years.

“I owe a lot to Kim. She provided me with the opportunities that led me down the path that I am on today. She had enough confidence in me to hire me as the APC at North High without having prior administrative experience. We spent many good years together at North High, and I will be forever grateful for the faith that she had in me and the leadership experiences that I gained under her.

“Kim’s greatest strength as a principal is that she understands what great teaching and classroom instruction is all about. As a former Golden Apple winner, she knows how to focus her staff on the essential elements of teaching and learning, and she did a masterful job at growing the faculty professionally.

“In addition, Kim had a strong vision for where she wanted to take North High and did not waver in eliminating those things that detracted from accomplishing the vision. Kim is a strong leader who never compromises on her principles. Kim did a tremendous job hiring exceptional personnel that held the same principles and beliefs that she did. One of the things that I most appreciated about her was that she allowed you the freedom to implement ideas and see those ideas through to the end. That provided me with a lot of hands-on experience and learning opportunities.”

Lunger had a parting message for North Fort Myers High students and staff.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with a group of teachers who places student success at the center of focus,” she added. “I am also very thankful for all the parents, volunteers, and community members who have helped build and support our programs. Then of course, I am most lucky to have spent all these years with Red Knight Students.”

The new principal at North Fort High School is Jeff Spiro, who has strong ties to Cape Coral and North Fort Myers. (Related story below.)