UPPER WEST SIDE — LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts is losing its principal to Hollywood, parents learned Monday in a letter from the school.
Principal Kim Bruno is leaving the school after 11 years to become the principal of an arts high school in Los Angeles this fall, the Parents Association tweeted Tuesday afternoon.
Bruno will head the $232-million Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, the L.A. Times reports — a public school that has cycled through a number of principals already since its 2009 opening. She initially turned down the job when offered it two years ago, the paper reported, citing that she was satisfied with her role at LaGuardia.
In a letter to the school community Bruno said that while she leaves the school, at Amsterdam Avenue and West 66th Street with a "heavy heart...I feel compelled to take on this new adventure."
No successor has been appointed yet, the Parents Association said.
"An interim acting will be named by the superintendent before the start of September and as such we anticipate a smooth opening of the new school year," said Assistant Principal John Sommers in an email.
"Hopefully, we will have someone permanent in place by the end of October," he said.
Parent Mary DiPalermo, whose son graduated this year described her as a strong leader: "She ran LaGuardia with a firm hand, and I had some arts-over-academics issues with her, but she really was a strong advocate for the the school."
LaGuardia High School, which counts among its famous alumni pop artist Nicki Minaj and actor Adrian Grenier, was formed in a 1984 merger of Music & Art High School and Performing Arts High School. The latter was the inspiration for the movie "Fame."
