Emily King Named Principal At Tate High School

July 27, 2026

Emily King has been named principal at Tate High School.

Her appointment was approved this week by the Escambia County School Board to replace Laura Touchstone, who was appointed director of high school education for Escambia County Public Schools.

“To be entrusted with the leadership of a school that is so full of traditions and legacies beginning in 1878 is an honor I do not take lightly,” King said of Tate, which recently earned the distinction of being the only traditional high school in Escambia County to ever earn an A school grade. “Together with the faculty and staff at Tate High School, we will continue to foster a culture where every student is challenged to reach their highest potential and graduate ready to become a productive citizen.”

“I am ready to get to work for the students and staff, and the entire Tate community. Go Aggies!” she said.

Most recently, King served as an assistant principal at Pine Forest High School for five years, overseeing curriculum, master scheduling, testing, and Title I planning while serving on the district START Review Board. Prior to that, she spent two years as assistant principal of discipline and facilities, managing school safety, student deans, transportation, and campus maintenance.

Before entering high school administration, King spent 11 years at Woodham Middle School, where she served as an instructional coach and Language Arts Department chair from August 2013 to June 2016, leading district writing data initiatives and professional development. She began her career at Woodham as an English Language Arts teacher from August 2005 to June 2013, earning selection as a top-five district Teacher of the Year in 2011, and served as the school’s head swim coach throughout her tenure.

King is a veteran educational leader with over two decades of experience in Escambia County Public Schools. A certified school principal, she holds State of Florida credentials in Educational Leadership, English 6–12, and Gifted Education. She was named the ECPS Assistant Principal of the Year for the 2024–2025 school year and selected for the Chancellor’s Leaders Academy.

Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments





Have a comment on this story?

We welcome your comments on this story, but there are some rules to follow::

(1) Be Nice. No comments that slander another, no racism, no sexism, no personal attacks.

(2) No Harrassing Comments. If someone says something bad about you, don't respond. That's childish.

(3) No Libel. That's saying something is not true about someone. Don't do it.

(4) Keep it clean. Nothing vulgar, obscene or sexually related. No profanity or obvious substitutions. Period.

(5) NorthEscambia.com reserves the right to remove any comments that violate our rules or we think to be inappropriate. We are not responsible for what is posted. Comments may not appear right away until they are approved by a moderator.

(6) Limit your comments to the subject in this story only, and limit comments to 300 words or less. Do not post copyrighted material. Comments will not be added to stories that are over 30 days old.

(7) No posts may advertise a commercial business, political candidate or political group, or link to another commercial web site or political site of any kind.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under TOP STORIES