2 new principals and communications director approved by Muscogee County School Board

During its called meeting Thursday, the Muscogee County School District board unanimously approved the recommendation from superintendent David Lewis to promote three leaders:

• Maudrice McNeill, from Hardaway High School assistant principal to principal of Hardaway, succeeding Christine Hull. The board approved during its May 16 meeting the promotion of Hull to MCSD executive director of preK-12 curriculum and instruction, replacing the retired Lorrie Watt.

• Michael Seckinger, from East Columbus Magnet Academy assistant principal to principal of Double Churches Middle School, succeeding Eddie Lindsey. Lewis told the L-E in an email Lindsey is “laterally transferring to an administrative position in the central office.” Lewis didn’t explain why or specify the new position. .
  
  

• Kimberly Wright from interim MCSD communications director to the permanent position, succeeding Alicia Lawrence, who resigned Jan. 28 for what Lewis previously told the L-E are “personal reasons.”

Here is information about the backgrounds of McNeill, Seckinger and Wright, according to the board’s agenda and their attached resumes:

Hardaway principal

McNeill has been an educator for 13 years, all in MCSD, including the past two years as assistant principal at Hardaway.

He previously was assistant principal at Brewer Elementary School (2018-20) and a health/physical education teacher at Aaron Cohn Middle School (2015-18), Carver High School (2013-15), Shaw High School (2011-13), East Columbus Magnet Academy (2010) and Baker Middle School (2009-10). He also has coached football and track and field.

McNeill earned a bachelor’s degree (2009) and a master’s degree (2011) in health and physical education from Albany State University. He earned a specialist’s degree in health and physical education from Jacksonville State University in 2013 and an educational leadership certificate from Columbus State University in 2017. He is enrolled in the doctoral degree program for educational leadership at Liberty University.

Double Churches Middle School principal

Seckinger has been an educator for 19 years, all in MCSD, including the past three years as assistant principal at East Columbus.

He previously worked for the district in various roles, as a science content specialist (2015-19), a Math and Science Partnership grant administrator (2015-present), a teacher quality specialist (2015), an academic coach (2014-15) and a science and math educator (2003-14). He also has been an adjunct professor at Columbus State University since 2010.

Seckinger earned a bachelor’s degree (subject not noted) from CSU in 2001, a master’s degree in middle grades education from CSU in 2006, a specialist’s degree in educational leadership from CSU in 2008 and a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction from Liberty University in 2015.

MCSD communications director

Wright has worked two stints in MCSD for a combined 12 years, including as interim communications director since February.

Her previous roles in MCSD were communications marketing specialist (2021-22) and executive assistant to the chief operating officer (2007-17), helping run the division’s five departments; school nutrition, transportation, records management, plant services and print & mail.

She also has worked as a technical writer at TSYS (2017-21), part-time marketing manager at DGL Communications (2019-present) and adjunct speech instructor at Columbus Technical College (2019-21).

Wright was educated in MCSD. She attended Fox Elementary School and Marshall Middle School and graduated from Kendrick High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Columbus State University in 2017 and a master’s degree in strategic communications from Troy University in 2018.

Why they were selected

McNeill and Seckinger were selected out of a pool of 43 internal and external applicants for MCSD principal positions, Lewis said, and eight were interviewed.

Lewis said he recommended McNeill “based on his past successful performance as an assistant principal and summer school site director, as well as his successful completion of our district’s Aspiring Principal Cohort program. As a current assistant principal at Hardaway High School, Mr. McNeill will ensure continuity and is highly respected by faculty, staff and students alike. Furthermore, he is committed to a strong school culture, the district’s Personalized Learning initiative, and further enhancement of the International Baccalaureate program continuum.”

Lewis said he recommended Seckinger because he has “successfully served our school district at both the school and district levels in varying capacities to include middle school math and science teacher, academic coach, teacher quality specialist, district secondary science content specialist and middle school assistant principal. These experiences, along with his knowledge of effective, high-yield instructional practices, completion of our district’s Aspiring Principal Cohort program and leadership as a site director for the Summer Learning Experience led to his recommendation.”

Wright was selected out of 14 applicants, Lewis said, and three of them were interviewed.

“Ms. Wright’s journey to earning this position is a testament to her commitment to continual personal and professional development and perseverance,” Lewis said. “. . . She has demonstrated the dedication, knowledge, skills, creativity, team orientation and passion for the district that this position requires.

Construction of new elementary school

Also during Thursday’s called meeting, the board unanimously approved Lewis’ recommendation to award a contract of of $33,525,000 to Freeman & Associates of Columbus for the construction of a new elementary school.

Dawson and St. Marys Road elementary schools will merge into the new school, which will be built on Dawson’s property. Construction is expected to start this summer and be completed by August 2024, project coordinator Ray Carrion told the L-E.

During its April 2021 meeting, the board approved the Hecht Burdeshaw Architects to design and oversee the project.

The MCSD Construction Department invited construction companies meeting the state requirements and with a positive history of working with MCSD to submit bids, according to the agenda. Four companies expressed interest, but only two companies participated in the required site visit and completed the bid process:

Freeman & Associates’ bid was $34.9 million. Thayer-Bray Construction of Phenix City bid $37.7 million.

Through value engineering and scope reduction, the agenda says, the low bid from Freeman & Associates was reduced to $33,525,000.

Funding will come from the 1% Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that Columbus voters renewed in 2020.