By Kyle Coppola
Kyle Bracewell Returns To Mount Dora High School As Principal
Mount Dora, FL — Kyle Bracewell is set to return to Mount Dora High School, this time taking on the role of principal. Bracewell, who has a long-standing connection with the school, will replace the outgoing principal, Marlene Straughan who was promoted to Regional Executive Director for Region 1, which includes schools in Eustis, Umatilla, Sorrento, Lady Lake and Mount Dora, along with Lake County Virtual School.
Bracewell’s educational journey began at Umatilla Middle School, where he worked as an ELA teacher. His dedication and passion for literacy led him to Leesburg High School, where he served as a literacy coach. This role allowed him to make a substantial impact on student reading and writing skills, and he quickly gained the reputation in our community as not only a committed educator but a good person.
(Principal Kyle Bracewell spent eight years as an assistant principal at Mount Dora High. Photo Credit – Lake County Schools.)
After his tenure at Leesburg High School, Bracewell joined Mount Dora High School as an assistant principal, a position he held for eight years. During this time, he played a crucial role in shaping the school’s academic programs and supporting both students and staff.
In January 2023, Bracewell was appointed principal at Seminole Springs Elementary. His leadership there was marked by a focus on creating a nurturing and academically rigorous environment, ensuring students received a strong foundation for their educational journeys.
Now, as Bracewell returns to Mount Dora High School, he brings with him a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the school’s community and needs. His vision for the future includes enhancing academic programs, fostering a supportive school culture, and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed.
We are excited to have Principal Bracewell back at Mount Dora High. He’s a great leader and will do a fine job of filling the shoes of Marlene Sraughan.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
