Rock Hill Schools announce series of administrative changes

During Monday night’s Board of Trustees meeting, Superintendent Dr. Bill Cook informed the board about a series of school-level administrative changes effective July 1, 2019. Trustees also approved three additional district-level positions.

The following principals will lead new schools for 2019-2020:

• Dr. Nakia Barnes is moving to Sunset Park Center for Accelerated Studies. She is currently serving as principal of Mount Holly Elementary School.
• Jackie Jones, who has been the principal of the Montessori program at Ebenezer Avenue Elementary School, is move to Mt. Holly Elementary School.
• Crystal Guyton is moving to York Road Elementary School. Mrs. Guyton has served as principal of India Hook Elementary School since it opened.
• Christopher Roorda is moving to India Hook Elementary. He is currently serving as principal of Finley Road Elementary.
• Patrick Robinson, who has been principal at York Road Elementary, is moving to Finley Road Elementary.

Additionally, the following assistant principals will have a new placement for the 2019-2020 school year:

• Kim Nordin is moving to Northside Elementary School of the Arts. She is currently an assistant principal at Ebenezer Avenue Elementary School.
• Takela Burns is moving to Mt. Gallant Elementary School. Currently, she is an assistant principal at Dutchman Creek Middle School.
• Sheleea Leonard is moving to Ebenezer Avenue Elementary after serving as an assistant principal at Mt. Gallant Elementary.
• Beau Modla is moving to Dutchman Creek Middle School. He is currently an assistant principal at Rock Hill High.
• Marek Marshall is moving to South Pointe High School. He has served as an assistant principal at Rawlinson Road Middle School.
• Chris Curtis is moving to Northwestern High School after serving as assistant director of Applied Technology Center.

Trustees also approved the following positions:

• Michael Johnson has been hired as the district’s Director of Safety and Security. Johnson comes to Rock Hill Schools after working with the Rock Hill Police Department for 13 years. Most recently, he has served as the sergeant of the community services unit which includes the School Resource Officer program for RHPD. In June 2018, he was recognized by the South Carolina Association of School Resource Officers as the South Carolina School Resource Officer of the Year. Over the past four years at RHPD, he has worked closely with Rock Hill Schools in the development of safety, security, and emergency management plans and preparedness. He has helped to create and implement the school district’s protocol for active shooter incidents, and other safety and security related improvements. Johnson served in the United States Navy from 1996-2002, the South Carolina Army National Guard from 2004-2012, the United States Navy Reserves from 2012-2014, and the South Carolina Army National Guard from 2014-2019. Johnson replaces Kevin Wren.
  
  
• Dr. Tonya Belton has been named the district’s Director of Federal Programs. Since 2007, Belton has served as an instructional specialist in Rock Hill Schools where she has worked to improve math instruction in grades K-12. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and has been trained in International Baccalaureate mathematics. Belton earned her undergraduate degree in mathematics from Howard University, her master’s in mathematics from Winthrop University, and her doctorate in educational leadership from South Carolina State University. She replaces Dr. Lisa Gibson, who has served as interim director for the past year.
  
  
• ShaQueena McLaughlin has been named the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Support Specialist. She joined Rock Hill Schools in 2017 as a math coach after serving as a teacher, coordinator, and assistant principal in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. In her role as district math coach, she worked closely with elementary teachers and administrators in the district’s Title 1 schools. She has also provided support to Rock Hill Schools’ special education and English learners programs. McLaughlin is a National Board Certified Teacher and received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and advanced degrees from National University and Winthrop University.