KIMBERLY BELLAMY
Edgecombe County Public Schools will have new leadership at at several schools next year with a new principal at SouthWest Edgecombe High, multiple administrators transferring within the district and two assistant principals advancing to principals.
Superintendent Craig Witherspoon announced the administrative changes at the Board of Education meeting Monday night.
Replacing retiring SWE principal Timothy Pittman will be John D. Westberg on July 1.
“We are pleased to add John Westberg to our administrative team,” Witherspoon said. “He is an experienced principal, who will bring a fresh perspective to SouthWest Edgecombe High. We are confident that he is a good leader and a good choice for this school."
Westberg has more than 28 years of experience under his belt in the field of education with his most recent position being principal at Whiteville High School in Whiteville.
Along with the announcement of SWE's new leader were the changes in leadership among administrators already in the district.
“It is important to maintain the alignment of the skills and strengths of our principals and assistant principals with the evolving needs of our schools,” Witherspoon said. “It is equally important to provide professional growth opportunities for our school leaders. These assignments will accomplish both goals ... six schools will have stronger leadership teams, and seven individuals will have great opportunities to learn additional skills, while bringing a fresh perspective to their respective school.”
Two assistant principals will be advancing to principals at schools within the district.
Assistant principal of Bulluck Elementary Lisa Howell will be moving to Coker-Wimberly Elementary School as principal. Principal of Coker-Wimberly Brenda Hargrove will be moving to Stocks Elementary as assistant principal.
Howell has been the assistant principal at Bulluck since 2004 and began teaching at the school in 2001.
Hargrove joined ECPS in 2001 as assistant principal at West Edgecombe Middle and later at Phillips Middle. She has been at Coker-Wimberly since 2007.
Two-year assistant principal of SWE Marcus Whichard will be taking top rank at Martin Middle School as principal, while current MMS principal Douglas Edwards will be switching positions with Whichard and taking the assistant principalship at SWE. These changes will take effect July 1.
Whichard taught at Tarboro High for five years, where he completed a year-long administrative internship. He also served as assistant principal at Bundy Elementary School in Farmville for two years before his position at SWE.
Other changes that will take effect on Aug. 1 are transfers of assistant principals at Bulluck, MMS, SWE, Stocks and South Edgecombe Middle School.
Paula Flythe will transfer to Bulluck from Stocks as assistant principal after the departure of Howell from the school. Flythe joined Stocks in 1992 as a kindergarten teacher and become assistant principal in 2004.
South Edgecombe assistant principal Rachel Mills will be trading places with MMS assistant Principal Donnell Brown. Mills began her career in education teaching in 1979, while Brown graduated from Tarboro High School and returned to the district in 2001 as an language arts teacher.
MMS principal Doug Edwards will join SWE as assistant principal. Edwards has served a physical education teacher in Halifax County for 10 years, and an assistant principal at Henderson Middle School and North Edgecombe prior to his position at MMS.
“We are confident that all schools and their new leaders will flourish as these assignments change the chemistry and add new energy to our district,” Witherspoon said.
