After six years as Beachland Elementary School’s principal, Rachel Finnegan is moving on to take the top job at Vero Beach High School.

She will be replaced by Vanessa Gonzalez, a former elementary school teacher who has worked in the district for nine years – the past six as an assistant principal at Vero Beach High.

Finnegan will be taking over for Shawn O’Keefe, who served as Vero Beach High’s principal for 14 years and will become the director of the district’s Food & Nutrition Services.

Gonzalez, who volunteers with the Treasure Coast Food Bank, was enthusiastic about the opportunity to lead Beachland.

“Coming home to where it all began is a powerful step, especially when you return with a deeper purpose,” said Gonzalez, who earlier in her career taught at the elementary level at i-Prep Academy, a top-rated and nationally certified public magnet school in Miami.

“With a master’s degree in reading and a heart rooted in early education, I return to elementary education – not just as a leader, but as a champion for literacy,” she added.

“I’ve met with parents, listened with care, and now step forward ready to make a lasting impact – one child, one family, one story at a time.”

The principal changes were among several administrative reassignments the School Board approved last week, when Superintendent David Moore’s presented his “strategic realignment plan,” which he said was designed to streamline operations, strengthen leadership and enhance the district’s ability to support schools and students.

Moore said the reorganization, which eliminated 15 administrative positions, would result in more than $1.2 million in annual savings through structural efficiencies and the elimination of overlapping roles.