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This story was corrected on June 25, 2009. An explanation of the correction is at the end of the story.

Northwest High School Principal Sylvia Morrison, recently under fire from some parents and police who questioned the handling of two serious incidents at the school, was appointed director of the county school system's instructional programs department on Monday. She has served as Northwest's principal since 2002.

Morrison will start the job July 1, replacing the retiring Dr. Michael Cohen, said Community Superintendent LaVerne G. Kimball. The job change was not prompted by pressures from parents or groups, said Kimball and Morrison.

"I think she will do well," Kimball said. "She'll be supervising several programs including early childhood and ironically, she started her career as a kindergarten teacher."

Morrison said she's not sure how her departure will affect Northwest.

"As long as everyone stays focused on the students, they will continue to move forward at Northwest High," Morrison said. "Issues will continue to be addressed, just under new leadership."

Two violent incidents occurred at Northwest on March 26 — an assault and a fight stemming from an alleged armed robbery.

The confrontations prompted parents to say administrators fail to crack down on students who break the rules, according to two parent groups formed in response to the incidents. Police have also said that discipline is inconsistently applied at the school.

"I think by and large it is a good move," said Tom Brennan, who heads the Northwest High School Coalition of Concerned Parents, a group formed in April. "Based on the current culture and client at Northwest High School, a change in leadership was probably going to be a good idea."

As part of the new principal selection process, Kimball will meet with Northwest students, parents and staff Thursday to identify characteristics they would like to see in a new leader. Meetings are scheduled at the school with students at 4:30 p.m., staff at 6 p.m. and parents at 7:30 p.m.

"We're looking forward to a new year with a new start, new approaches on discipline and leadership," said parent Beth Kennington, one of three Northwest cluster coordinators for Montgomery County Public Schools. "We've been through a lot as a community and we're trying to heal."

A new and diverse Leadership Advisory Council comprising seven parent groups and MCPS advisers has set direction for Morrison's successor, Brennan said.

The group has been working for three months to establish communication standards, routes and procedures to ensure the school community is "speaking with one voice," he said. The group's culture and climate committee is reviewing concerns surfaced through parent-leadership groups, surveys and community meetings and will present possible solutions.

Susan Burkinshaw, a Northwest cluster coordinator and co-chairwoman of the PTSA's new safety committee, spoke on her own behalf and said that the high school is in a good position.

"There's a lot of parental involvement right now," she said. "The pool of applicants that is available to us is probably the best that we're ever going to see. … I think we should look at this as an opportunity."

There is work to be done.

"What this means to us is that we've got to start over from square one on discipline issues and that part is kind of disheartening and disappointing," said Kennington, who is also on the PTA. "I don't think that problems are solved with Ms. Morrison's departure … It's going to take all of us to continue to be involved in order to bring about the changes that we're looking for."

Morrison left a "tremendous legacy" overshadowed by recent concerns, Burkinshaw said.

"The key now is to build bridges and help build community, so we can continue to move forward positively and constructively and not continue to beat dead horses about what has happened at Northwest High School," she said.

Correction: Dr. Michael Cohen, the outgoing director of the county school system's instructional programs department, was incorrectly identified in a previous version of this story.