The Sarasota Ballet, led by director Iain Webb, announced Thursday that it has appointed Christopher Hird as its new director of education and as the principal of the Margaret Barbieri Conservatory, effective mid-July. Hird will oversee all educational components of the ballet, including the Sarasota Ballet School, the Barbieri Conservatory and the at-risk prevention drop-out program Dance-The Next Generation. This new position will report directly to Webb, executive director Joseph Volpe and assistant director Margaret Barbieri.