Former Hockey Pro To Head Pepin Academies

Craig Butz has been drafted again. This time it's by Pepin Academies kindergarten through 12th grade charter school for learning disabled students.

As its 14th school year approaches, Pepin Academies lured Butz from Chicago, where he held the principal position at Chicago Virtual Charter School the past two years. Prior to that, Butz worked as a teacher and administrator at charter schools for special needs students in New York and Los Angeles.

Butz was a teenager when the renowned Detroit Red Wings NHL team drafted him, in the same draft class as Hockey Hall-of-Famer and current Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman. Butz plans to reconnect with his old hockey pal Yzerman to invite him to tour Pepin Academies once he gets his new office unpacked.

"I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and in the education field once my hockey days were over," says Butz, who has moved to a home in Hyde Park with his wife, Tatum, their 5-month-old daughter Teagan. "I have a charter school background and I am so happy to be here in Tampa Bay with Pepin Academies. This school has done so much for so many families over the past 13 years and I can't wait to continue the great work that's been done."

Pepin Academies founder and administrator Crisha Scolaro says Butz is the perfect candidate to succeed Dr. Carolyn Scott, who moves to a new position of supervising Pepin Academies' growth outside of the city limits, including a new campus that opens in Riverview this month.

"Dr. Butz is exactly what we need with his experience in large school districts and his passion for working with special needs students," said Scolaro. "He has a lot of great plans to lead our students, faculty and families in the years ahead and we could not be more pleased with our new principal."

Pepin Academies is located at 3916 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa.