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LAKE WORTH — Lake Worth High School Principal Kirk Howell, who drew criticism and a no-confidence vote from his teachers, has been transferred to Bear Lakes Middle School for the upcoming school year, according to Palm Beach County School District officials.

School district spokesman Nat Harrington said the no-confidence vote by teachers was “not the sole reason” why Howell was transferred and said Howell and Central Area Superintendent Rod Montgomery both agreed upon the transfer.

Howell and Montgomery could not be reached for comment regarding the transfer.

Howell took over as the high school’s principal at the beginning of last year after then-Principal Ian Saltzman was promoted to an area director. Howell previously had been the principal at A-rated Tradewinds Middle School in Greenacres.

In April, teachers gathered and voted 72-20 that they had no confidence in Howell as their principal. Teachers and officials with the Classroom Teachers Association union, which represents the district’s teachers, complained of communication problems and said Howell had created a hostile work environment at the high school.

Math teacher Wendy Williams echoed the sentiments expressed by several teachers claiming Howell came in and start removing many longtime teachers without much explanation. She said that led teachers to feel like their jobs were constantly in jeopardy.

“It’s OK to change things up,” she said. “When you change things up just for the sake of changing things up without input from your teachers, it is difficult.”

Harrington said he did not know who would be the new principal at Lake Worth High School. Williams said she hoped that the teachers union would get to have some input on who is chosen to be the new principal.

Bear Lakes Middle School, on Shenandoah Boulevard off Military Trail in suburban West Palm Beach, is projected to have 755 students next school year, according to district enrollment estimates.

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