Latest news with #AssistantPrincipaloftheYear

Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mansfield Board of Education names Morell as next superintendent
MANSFIELD — At the latest Board of Education meeting, members voted to select Candace Morell as the next Mansfield Public Schools superintendent. Morell, who currently serves as the district's Director of Teaching and Learning, will succeed Peter Dart. Her first day will be on July 1, upon his retirement. 'Candace's leadership and commitment to our district is exemplary,' said Kathy Ward, chairman of the Mansfield Board of Education which served as the Search Committee. 'As a Board of Education, we have seen the progress and innovation that Candace has brought to our district with her student-centered approach to teaching and learning. She has earned the respect of the leadership team and families.' Ward added the board believes Morell is the right candidate to move the district forward with its vision for excellence and dedication to the Core Beliefs. Morell started her professional journey in Mansfield in 1999 as a Reading and Science teacher at Mansfield Middle School. With her passion for science education, Morell collaborated with colleagues to develop engaging authentic learning experiences for all students that included science studies on the school campus as well as overnight excursions to Nature's Classroom and the Worcester Ecotarium. Morell believes in the importance of relevant real-world experiences for all students. During her role as teacher and administrator, she has facilitated and supported many afterschool and extended-year clubs and activities that have allowed students to explore new interests and develop important skills such as the ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with others and persevere when faced with challenges. In 2005, Morell moved from the classroom to the role of assistant principal at Mansfield Middle School. The Connecticut Association of Schools named her as Assistant Principal of the Year in 2009. She was also recognized as a National Educational Leadership Policy Fellow. In 2014, Morell was selected as principal at Mansfield Middle School where she implemented innovative approaches to teaching and learning that improved student engagement and achievement levels. With Morell's leadership, The U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Mansfield Middle School as 20th among 557 Connecticut middle schools. The district established the administrative position of Director of Teaching and Learning in 2022, and Morell became a key member of Superintendent Dart's leadership team. In this new role, Morell spearheaded programs formalizing the district's commitment to Growing Educators. Collaborating with the Teacher Leader Team, she guided the district's focus on improving the elementary progress report for a better family understanding of student mastery and progress and established a structure for curriculum development and alignment from Pre-K to Grade 8. Morell earned her Bachelor's and Master's of Science degrees as well as her Educational Leadership (UCAPP) from the University of Connecticut, and her Superintendent Certification from Central Connecticut State University. 'I am continually impressed with Candace's ability to eloquently frame complex ideas in provocative, clear ways that support and give voice to our community and staff,' Dart said. 'Through her skilled communications, she affects change in authentic meaningful ways. Candace possesses the collective knowledge of history and best practices while embracing our current focus and sense of urgency.' Dart added that throughout Morell's 26-year tenure as an educator, assistant principal, principal and director of teaching and learning in the district, she has led by example by putting her students at the center of her work. Mansfield's search process included input from the community, staff members, government leaders, students and families through an online survey and virtual focus groups throughout the last few months.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Meet the four new administrative leaders for Pitt County Schools
PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) — Four people have been appointed to administrative leadership positions within the Pitt County School System. Dr. Jennifer James has been hired as the new PCS Director of K-12 Curriculum and Instruction. This role has been redesigned to better ensure quality education. Dr. James was an award winning leader at Innovation Early College High School since the school opened in August of 2018. She was selected as the Pitt County Schools Principal of the Year in 2023 and has been an educator for 19 years, 12 of which she served as a principal. 'I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Pitt County Schools in this new role,' Dr. James said. 'I look forward to working with senior leadership, our curriculum specialist and instructional coaches on strengthening the academic programs in our district. A strong foundation has already been laid, and I am looking forward to collaborating with others to realize our shared vision of inspiring and motivating all learners. Leaving Innovation Early College High School is bittersweet. The journey with the IECHS team has been incredibly rewarding, and I am proud of all we have accomplished together over the past seven years.' Dr. Kirby Maness will serve as the new principal of Ayden-Grifton High School. Dr. Maness has been Ridgewood Elementary School's principal since January of 2023 and started at the school as an assistant principal in 2020. He helped the elementary school become the first in Pitt County to receive a Model Professional Learning Communities at Work School prestigious designation. 'I am excited to join the Charger family and partner with students, staff, families, and the greater Ayden-Grifton community,' Dr. Maness said. 'This school has a rich tradition, and I look forward to working together to elevate every student's opportunity to lead, grow, and succeed. I want to thank Dr. Lassiter for the opportunity to serve in this role and to lead such a remarkable school community. I am also deeply grateful to the students, staff, and families of Ridgewood Elementary School for the incredible journey we shared.' Casey Hyatt will be the new principal for Innovation Early College High School. Hyatt previously served as the principal for Ayden-Grifton High School where she started in January of 2023. She won the Pitt County Schools Assistant Principal of the Year award in 2022 and has worked as an educator for 12 years. 'I'm honored to join Innovation Early College High School as principal and excited to lead a community where academic excellence and innovation drive student success,' Hyatt said. 'I'm deeply grateful to Dr. James for her exceptional leadership and the strong foundation she leaves behind. Building on that legacy, I look forward to fostering innovation, accelerating achievement, and empowering every student to grow as a confident learner and future leader. Alison Covington will be Farmville's Sugg-Bundy Elementary School's new principal. She spent the last eight years in leadership roles at Belvoir and South Greenville. Covington won the Pitt County Schools and Wells Fargo Northeast Region Principal of the Year in 2022. She has been an educator for 20 years and has also spent time working with Falkland Elementary as an assistant principal. 'While I will deeply miss the amazing team at South Greenville Elementary, I am excited to begin this new chapter at Sugg-Bundy,' Covington said. 'It's an honor to join a school community with such a strong sense of purpose and commitment to students. I'm looking forward to working alongside all students and staff, learning from what's already been accomplished, and growing together. I'm excited for all we'll achieve!' These educators will begin their new roles now and through the summer to prepare for the upcoming school year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
SJSD assistant principal awarded NWMO Assistant Principal of the Year
ST. JOSEPH, MO. (News-Press NOW) — One St. Joseph School District assistant principal was named the Northwest Missouri Assistant Principal of the Year by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals. In a Facebook post on Friday, May 9, the St. Joseph School District congratulated Central High School assistant principal, Shawna Gilliland on the accomplishment. The post said, Her dedication, leadership, and commitment to students and staff have earned her this well-deserved recognition.

Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
SJSD assistant principal awarded NWMO Assistant Principal of the Year
ST. JOSEPH, MO. (News-Press NOW) — One St. Joseph School District assistant principal was named the Northwest Missouri Assistant Principal of the Year by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals. In a Facebook post on Friday, May 9, the St. Joseph School District congratulated Central High School assistant principal, Shawna Gilliland on the accomplishment. The post said, Her dedication, leadership, and commitment to students and staff have earned her this well-deserved recognition.

Yahoo
24-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Weatherford ISD superintendent gets 'positive' evaluation, Swanson named Curtis Elem chief
Weatherford school trustees on Monday named a new principal for Curtis Elementary and hired a communications director. Both officers succeed retiring Weatherford ISD leaders. Trustees also emerged from closed session to give Superintendent Beau Rees a positive annual performance evaluation. Rees said Tuesday any changes to his contract will be considered when the board writes next year's budget this coming summer. Trustees also named Brandi Swenson to succeed Lorie Bratcher at the elementary school Monday. Swenson arrives from Iowa Park Consolidated ISD northwest of Wichita Falls, where she has served the past decade as principal of Bradford Elementary. A news release Tuesday morning said Swenson served in assistant principal roles there since 2011, after starting out as a third grade teacher in Iowa Park in 1999, according to WISD. Swenson was named Assistant Principal of the Year in 2012 for the Region 9 Education Service Center region. She holds a master's degree in education from Wayland Baptist University. Weatherford trustees also named Reid Blackwell to succeed retiring Charlotte LaGrone as director of communications. Blackwell comes from the Mesquite ISD communications department where the Baylor alum has served since 2019. There, he developed a districtwide messaging system and led multi-media projects. LaGrone is set to retire at the end of June.