The Wayne County Board of Education approved the following principal changes at a Special Called Meeting:
School Street Elementary principal, Cortrina Smith, will be the new principal at Carver Heights Elementary. Mrs. Smith is replacing William Vann, III, who will become the WCPS Alternative Learning Coordinator. Mrs. Smith has been in her current role for the past seven years. She began her teaching career in 1998 in Georgia. She joined WCPS in 2002 as a curriculum facilitator at Eastern Wayne Elementary. Mrs. Smith was promoted to assistant principal at North Drive Elementary the following year. In 2006, she was named principal at Goldsboro Intermediate School. In 2009, she was named principal of School Street Elementary. Mrs. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in communication, a certification in early childhood education, and a master’s degree in school administration. She is currently working on a doctorate degree in educational leadership.
Norwayne Middle assistant principal, Makita Jenkins, will be the new principal at Grantham Middle. Mrs. Jenkins is replacing Lisa Tart, who was recently named principal at Norwayne Middle. Mrs. Jenkins has been an educator since 1988, and started her teaching career in Virginia. After working in several different education positions and roles across six states, in 2006 Mrs. Jenkins joined WCPS as a teacher at North Drive Elementary. In 2008, she was named the Title I Coordinator at the school. The following year, Mrs. Jenkins transitioned to school administration as the Assistant Principal at Greenwood Middle. In 2015, she was name assistant principal at Norwayne Middle. Mrs. Jenkins holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in school administration. It is worth noting that Mrs. Jenkins was named the district’s Assistant Principal of the Year in both 2013 and 2015.
Tommy’s Road Elementary principal, Wendy Hooks, will be the new principal of Meadow Lane Elementary. Mrs. Hooks is replacing Karen Whichard, who will become the WCPS Pre-K Coordinator. Mrs. Hooks has served in her current role for the past six years. Mrs. Hooks started in education in 1989 as a teacher at Union Elementary in Sampson County, North Carolina. She came to WCPS in 1999 and spent the next 11 years working as a teacher at Brogden Primary, a teacher at Meadow Lane Elementary, and a Curriculum Facilitator at Eastern Wayne Elementary. In 2000 she transitioned to administration as an assistant principal at Tommy’s Road Elementary. She was named principal of Grantham School in 2002 and principal of Brogden Primary in 2004. In 2010, she was named principal of Tommy’s Road Elementary. Mrs. Hooks holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in education, and a master’s degree in supervision and administration.
Tameka Allen, the elementary curriculum specialist at Tommy’s Road Elementary, will replace Mrs. Hooks as principal. Mrs. Allen has served in her present position for the past four years. Mrs. Allen began her education career in 2001 as a teacher at Brogden Primary School. She was later named a parent facilitator at the school. In 2007 she was named an assistant principal at Meadow Lane Elementary. In 2012, she was named an elementary curriculum specialist at Tommy’s Road Elementary. Mrs. Allen holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in school administration.
“All of these principals have demonstrated they have the leadership ability and expertise to successfully lead these schools,” states Dr. Michael Dunsmore, WCPS Superintendent. “These principal changes will take effect July 1. Our administrative team will be working with each of the principals to help ensure they have a smooth transition as they work to launch a new school year at their campuses.
Meadow Lane Elementary principal, Karen Whichard, will become the WCPS Pre-K Coordinator. Her role will be to oversee all Pre-K operations across the district and the early learning program at School Street. Mrs. Whichard has 23 years of education experience and has served in her present position since 2012. Prior to Meadow Lane Elementary, Mrs. Whichard served as a principal at Brogden Middle. She was also an assistant principal at Meadow Lane Elementary and Goldsboro Middle. Prior to school administration, she taught math for Durham County Schools, Wilson County Schools, and at Brogden Middle. Mrs. Whichard was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow and earned a bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s degree in school administration, and an Education Specialist degree.
“I believe Mrs. Whichard will be highly valuable in her new role,” adds Dr. Dunsmore. “Not only will she help oversee the Pre-K operations and programs across our school district, but she will be instrumental in helping develop and operate an early learning program that promotes school readiness for students in our Central Attendance Zone.”
Carver Heights Elementary principal, Dr. William Vann, III, will become the new WCPS Alternative Learning Program Coordinator. Based at Wayne Middle/High Academy, his role will be to research, design, and implement an effective Alternative Learning Program for the district. Dr. Vann has 15 years of education experience and has served in his present position for the past five years. Prior to transitioning to school administration in 2011, he was an Exceptional Children’s teacher at Brogden Middle. Dr. Vann holds a bachelor’s degree in education, a K-12 certification in special education, a master’s degree in school administration, and a doctorate degree in school administration.
“While Wayne Academy has helped support students for several years, we feel that a more effective model of alternative learning needs to be put into place in order to help more students become successful,” adds Dr. Dunsmore. “Our administrative leadership team looks forward to working with Dr. Vann in his new role to help change how our district can support students in need of alternative learning programs.”
Assistant principal and elementary curriculum specialist changes were also approved by the Board. They include:
Green County Middle North Carolina Principal Fellow Intern, Joshua McClure, will be the new assistant principal at Brogden Middle; Brogden Middle assistant principal, Christy Straughan-Haley, will be the new elementary curriculum specialist at Brogden Primary; Meadow Lane Elementary elementary curriculum specialist, Wendy Crane, and Wayne Middle/High Academy, assistant principal, Craig Uzzell, will be the new elementary curriculum specialists at Carver Heights Elementary; Wayne Early/Middle College High English teacher, Carol Hollar-Watson will be the new assistant principal at Eastern Wayne High; Carver Heights Elementary Title I tutor, George Franklin, will be the new assistant principal at Eastern Wayne Middle; Smithfield Selma High assistant principal, Kenneth Sumler, will be the new assistant principal at Goldsboro high; Brogden Primary elementary curriculum specialist, Karla Smith, will be the new elementary curriculum specialist at Meadow Lane Elementary; Meadow Lane Elementary Curriculum Facilitator, Nicole Carter, will be the new elementary curriculum specialist at Northeast Elementary; Carver Heights Elementary fourth grade teacher, Bridgette Cowan, will be the new assistant principal at Norwayne Middle; Charles B. Aycock High English teacher, Connie Harrell, will be the new assistant principal at Rosewood Middle; Northeast Elementary elementary curriculum specialist, Lois Marshall, will be the new elementary curriculum specialist at Tommy’s Road Elementary; and Eastern Wayne High assistant principal, Sherri Hobbs, will be the new assistant principal at Wayne Middle/High Academy.
