Cedric Fuller named new CMS principal

Eden Prairie Schools has announced that Cedric Fuller will become the new principal of Central Middle School (CMS), beginning with the 2024-25 school year.

Fuller, who has served as the principal of Robbinsdale Middle School for the 2023-24 school year, will begin his new role on July 1.

He will replace current Principal Felicia Thames, who will move to the newly created role of assistant superintendent of elementary education. Thames has been CMS principal for less than two years but has been with the district for 18 years, including several years as principal at Prairie View Elementary.

Fuller will be a familiar face to many CMS families. Prior to accepting his current role in Robbinsdale, he served for one year as an associate principal at CMS. Before that, he held assistant principal roles at Maple Grove and Roseville middle schools.

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His career also includes roles as a campus monitor, behavior specialist, case manager, and administrative dean. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Phoenix and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University, St. Paul.

In an email sent to CMS families on May 21, Eden Prairie Schools Superintendent Josh Swanson said, “Cedric was an impactful leader during his time at CMS and devoted himself to developing the gifts and talents of our students and staff members.

“His strong passion for our students, families and staff members has driven him to return to our Eden Prairie Schools community, and I know many will be happy to see him bring everything he has learned back to CMS and take the lead as building principal. I’m glad to have him back on our team.”

Swanson said Fuller asked him to share a message with CMS families.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to return to Eden Prairie Schools and to lead Central Middle School as the next principal,” Fuller said. “There are many amazing things happening at CMS, and I am honored to be able to lead such a talented and caring staff that is focused on the success of each CMS student.

“I look forward to connecting with each student, family, and CMS staff member to ensure that CMS students have a great middle school experience as we prepare them for high school and beyond.”

Fuller was one of three finalists for the role. He participated in a community forum held in the CMS cafeteria on May 14, which was attended by about 50 people. During the event, Fuller and two other candidates answered questions submitted in advance by community members as well as questions submitted live during the event.

Topics included candidates’ prior job experience, student safety and behavior, fostering inclusion and belonging, challenges facing middle schoolers, diversity, promoting academic rigor, and students’ use of mobile phones during the school day.

As with a similar event held in April during the interview process for the new Eden Prairie High School principal, the audience was given rubric forms to rate candidates’ answers and provide feedback, which the district said it would incorporate into its final decision. At the end of that process, Jaysen Anderson was named the new EPHS principal, also effective July 1.