Charlie Marello will leave Niceville High School at the end of the school year and take a job at Okaloosa County’s School District Administration in a role leading and mentoring principals around the school district in the Human Resources division.
Marello served as the principal of Niceville High School starting in 2013. He served as a teacher, coach, and administrator in Walton County Schools before joining Okaloosa County Schools as the principal of Destin Middle School.
RELATED: Marello named Okaloosa Principal of the Year
Marello’s tenure at Niceville High School saw the institution receive an A grade from the Florida Department of Education every year.
The school’s athletics shone as well. Cheer, Boys and Girls Track and Field, Boys Soccer, Girls’ Cross Country and Tennis won a combined 13 state championships in 13 years.
RELATED: Niceville names new head football coach.
The Niceville Eagle Pride Band took nationwide and international trips to perform in prestigious, invite-only, events like the Tournament of Roses Parade in 2024 and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
“I had two goals when I came over here,” Marello told the school board before they approved his appointment to the administrative position unanimously, “To do the very best work that I could for the students and staff at Destin Middle School and then Niceville High School every day. And then two, not to let you down.”
Other organizations, like the robotics team, chorus, and theater programs have gained acclaim as well.
Marello acknowledged his friends and family, as well as fellow administrators and mentors he leaned on when times were tough as a school leader.
“Being a big school principal is tough. You have the highest of highs and cavernous lows. And during one of those low points at NHS, it was then Assistant Superintendent Hale who came by NHS. He picked me up, knocked the dirt off me, and threw me back in there. And he said to me, you’re the only person I know that can do the job the way you’re doing at Niceville High School. So keep it up. And that meant everything to me at that time.”
Marello will conduct the graduation ceremony for the seniors this year so he can hand his daughter a Niceville High School diploma.
“Whomever the new principal at Niceville High School is, they will be way smarter and way better at principaling than I ever was, but their very first graduation ceremony will already be planned out for them.”
Okaloosa County has not named a new principal for Niceville High School.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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