SPS announces appointments

Published 9:24 pm Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Suffolk Public Schools has announced several administrative staff changes for the new school year.

Stenette Byrd, principal at King’s Fork High School, replaces Douglas Dohey as the director of secondary leadership. Dohey was promoted to chief of operations, which was vacant after Kevin Alston’s retirement.

After serving as principal, assistant principal and teacher with Isle of Wight Public Schools, Byrd, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Norfolk State University, his master’s degree from Old Dominion University and his doctorate degree from the College of William and Mary, has been principal of King’s Fork High since 2013.

  • Ronald Leigh, principal at Hillpoint Elementary School, is now the principal of King’s Fork High School. Leigh has been a principal with Suffolk Public Schools since 2000, most recently at Hillpoint Elementary School. He had also worked in several North Carolina public school divisions as a teacher and assistant principal, and earned his bachelor’s degree from Elizabeth City State University, master’s degree from East Carolina University and his doctorate degree from Virginia Tech.
  • Catherine Pichon, assistant principal at Mack Benn, Jr. Elementary School, was promoted to principal at Hillpoint. Pichon has been an assistant principal with Suffolk Public Schools since 2013, and previously served as an academic coach and teacher, starting in 2008. She also taught in Texas. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and her master’s degree from Regent University.
  • Jessica Avery, assistant principal at Elephant’s Fork Elementary School, was promoted to principal of Elephant’s Fork Elementary School, replacing Andre Skinner, the new director of the Pruden Center for Industry and Technology. Avery has been an assistant principal with Suffolk Public Schools since 2013 and taught at Nansemond River High and Oakland Elementary starting in 2004. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Saint Leo University, and her master’s degree and education specialist degree from Regent University.
  • Kinsey Bynum, an assistant principal from Northampton City Public Schools, will serve as principal of Turlington Woods School, replacing Pamela Lipscomb, who resigned.  Bynum has been an assistant high principal in Northampton County Schools since 2013, and previously was a teacher at John F. Kennedy Middle School. He had also worked in Franklin Public Schools and South Carolina public school divisions. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Elizabeth City State University and his master’s degree from Cambridge College.
  • Earling Hunter, teacher at King’s Fork High School, was promoted to assistant principal at Lakeland High School, replacing Michael Blount, who resigned. Hunter has been a teacher at King’s Fork High since 2013, and has taught in Norfolk Public Schools and in Alabama. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Grambling State University and his master’s degree from Averett University, and his education specialist degree from Liberty University.
  • Antoine London, a teacher in Norfolk Public Schools, will serve as assistant principal at John F. Kennedy Middle School, replacing Roosevelt Brown. London has been a teacher and school testing coordinator in Norfolk Public Schools since 2005. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Norfolk State University and his master’s degree from Regent University.

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The appointments were announced in a news release Tuesday, along with the following assistant principal reassignments:

  • Roosevelt Brown, assistant principal at John F. Kennedy School, was reassigned to assistant principal at King’s Fork Middle School, replacing Wendy Gray.
  • Wendy Gray, assistant principal at King’s Fork Middle School, was reassigned as assistant principal at John Yeates Middle School, replacing Shawn Green.
  • Shawn Green, assistant principal at John Yeates Middle School, was reassigned as assistant principal at King’s Fork High School, replacing Bryan Thrift, who resigned.
  • Garrick Rhodes, assistant principal at Nansemond Parkway Elementary School, was reassigned as assistant principal at Elephant’s Fork Elementary School, replacing Jessica Avery.
  • LaToya Floyd, assistant principal at King’s Fork High School, was reassigned as assistant principal at Nansemond River High, replacing Kimberly Warholak.
  • Kimberly Warholak, assistant principal at Nansemond River High School, was reassigned to assistant principal at King’s Fork High School, replacing LaToya Floyd.

Assistant principals at Mack Benn Jr. Elementary and Nansemond Parkway Elementary schools are to be determined.