Effective July 1, Wekiva High School Principal Michele Erickson is retiring after 38 years with Orange County Public Schools.
Erickson has been WHS principal since 2014, began her education career in 1982 at Walker Junior High School.
“Just that I’m still a little emotional, that I will miss it, miss the kids. That’s what makes it all worth it,” she said. “The students and watching them grow and develop into responsible young people and to see their plans actually – I talk to kids that are now in the NFL and I talk to kids who just graduated and are on the police force and in New York City. They keep in contact, and to see what their paths have come is just amazing. That’s what makes it all worth it.”
Erickson’s replacement has yet to be named by Orange County Public Schools.
From the start of her career to her final school year, Erickson has maintained her top goal, which has been “to keep children first.”
“My goal has always been to keep children first, always do what’s best for kids regardless of whether it’s in the classroom or as an administrator,” she said. “I was also a SAFE (Student Assistance and Family Empowerment) coordinator, a coach, a yearbook sponsor, and my goal has been to keep kids first and I believe I’ve always done that. Any errors or mistakes I made have been for the benefit of the students.”
Erickson said she has many great memories in her career.
“I don’t know if I could pick one out, but I think what’s been so wonderful now is when we’re greeting our seniors and kids as they are coming to pick up yearbooks and things, the amount of community support from the Apopka area that I’m receiving and the well-wishes and just the emails and things. It’s really helped my career end with such an unusual ending.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a lesson for young adults about struggling against life’s obstacles.
“I think for all of our seniors graduating, they have learned a type of resilience that I don’t think any other students had to adapt to,” she said. “So, I think they learned that even if things are difficult and they’re struggling to remember what they have overcome, and to just continue on that path knowing they’re resilient and that they’re going to be successful.”
As for advice for students pursuing careers in education: “That it’s the best field ever and if you really enjoy what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Erickson is only the second principal of WHS since it opened its doors in 2007. In 2014, she replaced Dr. Elise Gruber, who at that time moved to be the No. 2 person in the North Learning Community until December when she planned to retire.
Erickson was transferred to Wekiva High from Edgewater High of Orlando’s College Park area. Prior to Edgewater, Erickson was principal at Glenridge Middle School in Winter Park for five years.
All in all, Erickson has been in junior high schools, middle schools, and high schools as a teacher, SAFE coordinator, assistant principal and principal.
All three of her children are products of OCPS.
This story appears in full in the Friday, May 29, issue of The Apopka Chief, starting on page 1A. Subscribe today!
