Two popular Raleigh school principals are leaving their schools

Two popular Raleigh principals are leaving their schools to take on new jobs in the Wake County school system.

Wake school leaders announced Tuesday that Anthony Muttillo will go from being principal of Leesville Road High School in Raleigh to becoming the district’s new assistant superintendent for human resources. Muttillo will be paid $133,785 in his new job of helping North Carolina’s largest school system recruit and retain its 19,000 employees.

Muttillo, who also goes by A.J., has led Leesville since 2012. It hasn’t been announced yet when he’ll leave the school.

Wake also announced that Cheryl Fenner will be the first principal of the new Southeast Raleigh Elementary School. Scheduled to open in August, the school is part of a complex that will include a YMCA facility, affordable housing and possibly a future grocery store and health care center.

Fenner’s salary will be $104,073. She has been principal of Fuller Elementary School in Southeast Raleigh since 2012, during which she was named 2015 Magnet School Principal of the Year for the region that covers the Carolinas, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Diane Pridgen, a retired principal who led Forestville Elementary School in Knightdale for many years, will serve as Fuller’s interim principal from Nov. 1 to Dec. 21.

Also on Tuesday, the school system announced that Marlo Gaddis will become the district’s chief technology officer earning a salary of $155,000. She had been serving as interim chief for several months.

Gaddis is among the members of the leadership team that new Superintendent Cathy Moore has been assembling since she was promoted in May from deputy superintendent.

Last month, Jackie Ellis left her position as assistant superintendent for human resources to take the newly created position of chief of schools. Edward McFarland went from being eastern area superintendent to the new position of chief academics officer.

Both Ellis and McFarland will be paid salaries of $160,000.