New principals appointed for Ridgewood and South Greenville schools
Effective July 1, 2025, Anitra Cook, an assistant principal at Wahl-Coates Elementary School of the Arts since 2022, has been promoted to take over the top role at South Greenville, while Katherine Swain has been promoted to principal status at Ridgewood after seven years as an assistant principal at Lakeforest Elementary.
Anitra Cook will be leading South Greenville Elementary School after an overall six-year assistant principal tenure which included earlier service at Farmville Middle School from 2019-2022. Cook began her career with PCS as a media coordinator at Sam D. Bundy Elementary in 2014 where she managed all of the school's library and served as a county-to-school liaison for technology development.
Anitra Cook; Photo courtesy of Pitt County Schools
'I am truly honored and humbled to accept the position of principal at South Greenville,' Cook said. 'I am thankful for the opportunity to serve a school with such a rich legacy and resilient spirit. Together, we will build on our strengths, foster a culture of excellence, and ensure that every child thrives.'
Katherine Swain, who was selected as the 2025 PCS Assistant Principal of the Year in October of 2024, has eight years of administrative experience and 23 overall years in education. After completing the North Carolina Principal Fellows Program, she began her current position at Lakeforest in 2018. While at Lakeforest, she helped play a key role in the school's selection as a North Carolina Model STEM School of Distinction and as an AVID Elementary Showcase School.
Katherine Swain; Photo courtesy of Pitt County Schools
'I'm honored to be joining the Ridgewood Elementary School family,' Swain said. 'Ridgewood has a strong tradition of academic success, supported by a dedicated staff and strong family and community partnerships. As principal, I look forward to building on this foundation to foster a supportive and inclusive environment where every child is challenged, valued, and inspired to reach their full potential. Go Sharks!'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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