By Ellen Boyd

Director of Communications, Kannpolis City Schools

KANNAPOLIS — Nick Carlascio will become the new principal of Kannapolis Middle School. He is currently the principal of Forest Park Elementary in Kannapolis, and he says he is looking forward to this new opportunity.

“I’m very excited about taking on this new role,” Carlascio said. “I love Forest Park, and I absolutely love the students, staff, and families there. It will be bittersweet to leave them, but I’m looking forward to the chance to move to the middle school at a wonderful time. We’ll be opening a new building in August and adding sixth graders to the school. We’ll also add new programs and opportunities for students, so I’m extremely excited about the future there.”

Carlascio has an exemplary record of teaching excellence and administrative success. He was named Kannapolis City Schools’ Principal of the Year in 2015, and he has an outstanding record of raising student achievement in every school where he has served. As principal of Forest Park Elementary, he has led the school to the highest academic performance in Kannapolis City Schools.

Forest Park also has exceeded the state’s academic growth targets every year that Carlascio has been at the school. He became principal of Forest Park in July of 2014. Prior to leading Forest Park, Carlascio was principal of Jackson Park Elementary in Kannapolis. Under his leadership there, Jackson Park met 100 percent of its annual academic goals, and he created a science, technology, engineering and math program at the school.

 Before joining Kannapolis City Schools in 2012, Carlascio was part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. As a teacher at Mallard Creek Elementary, he was a finalist for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ Teacher of the Year honor. He also was featured in a “University City Magazine” article about teachers who make a difference.

Carlascio later served as an assistant principal at three schools in Charlotte: Whitewater Academy, Steele Creek Elementary and Walter G. Byars Elementary. At Walter G. Byars, Carlascio also served as Interim Principal. Carlascio helped lead all three schools to outstanding academic growth in math, reading and overall academic achievement.

“Nick Carlascio is the ideal person to lead Kannapolis Middle School,” said Superintendent Dr. Chip Buckwell. “He’s not only a wonderful educator and tremendous leader but he also has the kind of passion that inspires success in his students and staff. Mr. Carlascio will bring energy and enthusiasm to his new role along with a vision for expanding the middle school’s STEM program and supporting the staff and students there. He’s the perfect person to make sure we add programs at the middle school that will advance what our students learn in our new arts, global studies and dual language magnet programs at the elementary level. This is definitely a very exciting time for Kannapolis Middle School and Kannapolis City Schools in general.”

Nick Carlascio earned his master of school administration degree from Gardner Webb University. He has a bachelor of science degree in childhood education and special education from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. Carlascio will begin his duties at Kannapolis Middle School on March 1. He replaces Dr. Bridgette Reese who resigned in December. Kannapolis City Schools now will begin a search to replace Carlascio as principal of Forest Park Elementary.