It will be all change at the top for a number of schools when the new term begins next week.

No less than five schools in the public system will have new principals when students return for lessons on Monday, following a number of retirements this past June.

Taking over at the helm of Spice Valley Middle School will be Dawnelle Walker, replacing Patricia Holder.

Ms Walker began her teaching career in 1993 after obtaining her Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in English education.

She has completed a Master's degree in special education, and has worked at Spice Valley Middle School, and as a Government education officer responsible for English and Language Arts.

After a brief stint as an English teacher at the Bermuda High School for Girls, Ms Walker returned to the Ministry of Education as a consultant, serving the Department of Research and Evaluation.

Meanwhile, Kimberly Creighton has been made head teacher of St. David's Primary School, replacing Edward Wright, who worked at the East End community school for 36 years.

Ms Creighton taught at Elliott Primary School for nine years, and was awarded a Government sabbatical, which enabled her to complete a Master's degree in educational leadership at George Mason University in 1998.

She has since taught at Clearwater Middle School as the M1 science teacher and the science resource teacher.

From next week, Derek Tully will be the acting principal for Clearwater Middle School, replacing Charlotte Ming. He was appointed deputy principal at the school in 1997 and is in the process of completing his doctorate in education through St. John's University, studying instructional leadership.

Mr. Tully is the president of the Middle School Association and was awarded the Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honour in 2001. And he was also the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club in 1999.

At Dellwood Middle School next week, Idonia Beckles will take over as acting principal from Carol Bassett. She attended Harrington Sound Primary School, Warwick Academy and then the Bermuda College, before going to the University of Windsor College in Canada to obtain her Bachelor of Education degree.

Her Master's degree was completed in educational leadership.

She has been a qualified teacher for 18 years, and has taught at primary level for ten years, holding several posts of responsibility.

Mrs. Beckles has worked as a mentor teacher for the Ministry of Education, and has been a middle school team leader for five years.

And, as already reported in The Royal Gazette, Freddie Evans will take over as head teacher at the aided Whitney Institute Middle School from next week, replacing former head teacher Gail Graham.