LARGO \u2014 Preparing students for success starts with strong leadership, and the Pinellas County school district now has a state-of-the-art center to help foster those skills.<\/p>\n
Pinellas County Schools celebrated the Dr. Michael A. Grego Leadership Institute opening Oct. 2. The district also honored its namesake who helped transform the district during his decade at the helm.<\/p>\n
The new $15.4 million facility, which replaces the former Center for Professional Education, is located at 305 4th St. SW in Largo, across from the PCS Administration Building. District officials believe the institute will embody Grego\u2019s \u201cspirit of improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDr. Grego didn\u2019t just build systems \u2014 he built people,\u201d said Superintendent Kevin Hendrick. \u201cThis institute is not a resting place for past accomplishments; it\u2019s a launching pad for future ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
Construction firm Skanska and Rowe Architects broke ground on the site in March 2024. The overarching goal was to build something that enhances the growth of district professionals.<\/p>\n
The institute will provide an expansive, modern facility for educators, administrators and staff to learn and collaborate. It features event space, breakout rooms, a serving kitchen and solar panels.<\/p>\n
PCS will host trainings, leadership retreats and collaborative events designed to foster innovation and excellence throughout the district and community at the institute. Multiple speakers told attendees that vision, equity and heart \u2014 pillars of Grego\u2019s leadership \u2014 would drive the facility.<\/p>\n
Hendrick said \u201ccompassion, innovation and an unwavering commitment to every student\u201d defined Grego\u2019s legacy. He succeeded Grego, who led the district from 2012 to 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe stepped into a district searching for stability and gave it something far greater,\u201d Hendrick said. \u201cA future.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Center for Professional Education operated from an abandoned church and an ancillary building totaling 9,400 square feet. PCS demolished the old structures to make way for the leadership institute.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn\u2019t really serve its purpose,\u201d Grego said. \u201cI always used to say, \u2018We\u2019re better than this. Let\u2019s try to prove it.\u2019 Let\u2019s try to accomplish something and obtain a building.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grego spent 42 years in the Florida public education system and announced his retirement in January 2022. \u201cI just think it\u2019s a good time where things are clicking, and every aspect of our school districts is moving in a positive direction,\u201d he told the Catalyst at the time.<\/p>\n
The overall graduation rate soared from 70% to 92% during Grego\u2019s tenure. Improvements among students of color were even more pronounced.<\/p>\n
The graduation rate among the county\u2019s Black students rose from just 56% to 86.3%, and from 63% to 92% among Hispanic youth. The percentage of non-English speaking students who graduated more than doubled, from 40% to 84%, with Grego at the helm.<\/p>\n
Multiple struggling St. Petersburg schools benefited from Grego\u2019s leadership and the Bridging the Gap initiative, which helped reduce achievement disparities. He also launched summer programs and early literacy initiatives that expanded educational access for thousands of students.<\/p>\n
Modernizing district facilities was another focus for Grego. PCS invested over $750 million in rebuilding and upgrading campuses during his decade as superintendent.<\/p>\n
Grego opened the Richard O. Jacobson Technical High School and expanded industry certification programs across all secondary schools in the district. The building bearing his name will serve as a hub for developing the next generation of local school leaders.<\/p>\n
Grego said Oct. 2 that he was \u201chumbled\u201d and momentarily \u201cspeechless\u201d when Hendrick told him that the School Board voted to name the institute in his honor. \u201cThe building represents more than just brick and mortar,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted a space that embraces everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
District administrators and faculty meet on the first Thursday of each month, and Grego said their attendance made the ceremony \u201cextra special.\u201d He credited Hendrick for \u201carranging that and his foresight in doing so,\u201d as it set the foundation for \u201cwhat this building is about.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLeadership has always been at the heart of everything I\u2019ve tried to do, and it\u2019s regardless of position,\u201d Grego said. \u201cHow do I become the very best person I can be in the position that I\u2019m given \u2026 and that\u2019s what this institute is about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grego thanked former House Speaker Chris Sprowls and lawmakers for providing a \u201csignificant portion\u201d of the funding needed to build the facility, \u201cso it didn\u2019t fall totally on the district.\u201d Several family members, friends and former colleagues attended the ceremony. \u201cI couldn\u2019t say enough thank-you\u2019s,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are the heartbeat of our district,\u201d Grego told the audience.<\/p>\n