The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education named Karen Galassi-Ferrer as the new principal of Frank Porter Graham Bilingue Elementary at its meeting on Thursday night.

Galassi-Ferrer is a long-time local educator who has served as a Spanish/AVID teacher, administrative intern and assistant principal in the school district since 2004. She is currently the assistant principal at the school.

“Ms. Galassi-Ferrer is a gifted educator and a strong administrator, with strong ties to the community,” said Superintendent Pam Baldwin. “She is simply a great fit for this school.”

Galassi-Ferrer replaces Dr. Emily Bivins, who has served as the principal for the elementary school since it reopened as a dual-language educational school. Bivins won CHCCS Principal of the Year last year, after previously having won in 2009.

Galassi-Ferrer earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Teaching, with both majors being in Spanish, at the UNC. She also earned her Master in School Administration, with her major being School Administration, from the university.

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