Greenville County Schools welcome new faces: Meet the county's new principals for 2023-24
Greenville County Schools (GCS) will be welcoming 14 new principals across the district when the 2023-24 school year starts Tuesday, Aug. 8.
The new principals are as follows:
Adrian Mayes, Hughes Academy; Candace Stanton, Slater-Marietta Elementary School; Jenni Dunagan, Sue Cleveland Elementary School; Jennifer Woody, Summit Drive Elementary; Jessica Preisig, Fountain Inn Elementary School; Katie Porter, CTE Innovation Center; Lakisha Cook, Paris Elementary School; Leroy Platt, Tanglewood Middle School; Matthew Keith, Riverside Middle School; Meredith Welch, Rudolph Gordon School; Sheila Gentry, Washington Center; Stephanie Reese, Grove Elementary; Stephen Hampton, Monaview Elementary School; and Tatiana Shea, Southside High School.
Read on to learn more about the upcoming school year's new principals:
Adrian Mayes, Hughes Academy
Education: Adrian Reyes received his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Anderson University. He is also a graduate of both GCS's Instructional Leadership Academy and Aspiring Principal Institute.
Background: In 2020, Mayes joined GSC as an Assistant Administrator in the Virtual Program. He was promoted to Assistant Principal at Hughes Academy in 2021. Previously, he worked in Anderson District Four as an upper elementary school teacher, where he also served as a basketball coach. He has completed specialized training in a variety of technology platforms that he implemented in the classroom, and he currently trains teachers in their utilization. At Hughes Academy, Mayes created IMPACT, a comprehensive student engagement program that developed student leadership clubs, resulting in increased student participation in programs and activities.
Candace Stanton, Slater-Marietta Elementary School
Education: Candice Stanton earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Clemson University and a Master of Education and an Educational Specialist Degree in Administration and Supervision from Converse College. She is also a graduate of GCS's Aspiring Principal Institute and Instructional Leadership Academy.
Background: Since 2015, Stanton has served as Administrative Assistant at Slater-Marietta Elementary School, her work experience includes 23 years as a teacher, instructional coach and administrator. Her interview responses reflect an in-depth understanding of the Slater-Marietta community, as well as strong knowledge of best practices consistent with the use of data to make student-centered decisions and identification of specific opportunities for community outreach.
Jenni Dunagan, Sue Cleveland Elementary School
Education: Jenni Dunagan holds a Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Anderson University. She is also a graduate of GCS’s Aspiring Principal Institute and Instructional Leadership Academy.
Background: Dunagan grew up in the Fountain Inn and Piedmont areas and is a former teacher and literacy specialist who began her administrative career at Berea Elementary School. She currently serves as an assistant principal at Rudolph Elementary School, where she has played a key role in phasing in the middle school program, integrating the elementary and middle school programs and implementing project-based learning. Dunagan also implemented the OnTrack process at both of her locations, successfully implementing scheduling that ensures special education students receive all services while minimizing or eliminating any loss of core instructional time.
Jennifer Woody, Principal, Summit Drive Elementary
Education: Jennifer Woody earned her B.S. in Elementary Education at the University of South Carolina Upstate and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership at Clemson University. She is a graduate of both the GCS Aspiring Principal Institute and Instructional Leadership Academy and was recognized as a SC-ASCD Emerging Leader in 2019.
Background: For over 15 years, Woody has served the students of GSC. She served as Assistant Principal at both Beck Academy and Monarch Elementary and as a teacher at Mauldin Elementary and Sterling School, where she was recognized as Teacher of the Year. Her vision for Summit Drive was instrumental in building upon its success as a School of Leadership and Entrepreneurial Design.
Jessica Preisig, Fountain Inn Elementary School
Education: Jessica Preisig is a graduate of Clemson University, where she earned both a B.S. in Elementary Education and a Master of Education. She has also completed GCS’s Aspiring Principal Institute and Instructional Leadership Academy.
Background: Preisig began her teaching career in Oconee County before moving to GCS, where she has served as a teacher, reading interventionist and assistant administrator at three different elementary schools. Currently, she serves as Assistant Principal at Fountain Inn Elementary School. She has worked closely with her current principal and teachers to implement project-based learning, which continues into Fountain Inn's middle and high schools.
Katie Porter, Director, CTE Innovation Center
Education: Katie Porter earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in marketing from Georgia Southern University, an MS in Education from Walden University and a post-Master’s Certificate in Secondary Administration from Western Carolina University.
Background: Porter currently serves as Program Director/Assistant Director for the Center and in her brief tenure has utilized her expertise in marketing and business development to build an extensive partnership network with the Upstate business community. She has researched and developed curricula for the five unique program areas, developed and implemented a fair and equitable application process and worked with Procurement to purchase furniture and equipment for the center. Prior to her current role, Porter was a Work-Based Learning Coordinator in the GCS CTE department. In her 14-year educational career, she taught business and marketing in Georgia and North Carolina before coming to South Carolina as a career specialist. She was also honored as Bibb County (GA) Teacher of the Year and subsequently served as a Georgia Teacher Ambassador.
Lakisha Cook, Principal, Paris Elementary School
Education: Lakisha Cook earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of South Carolina, an M.A. in Professional Counseling from South University, and an M.A. in Education Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix. She is currently enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of South Carolina in Curriculum and Instruction.
Background: Cook served as a teacher and administrator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in her 15 years in public education in Columbia, Lexington and Blythewood. Currently, she serves as principal of Meadowfield Elementary School in Richland District One. Her accomplishments include developing a math content recovery program, implementation of AVID and implementing strong student support plans. Among her various recognitions, Cook was named 2019 South Carolina Middle-Level Assistant Principal of the Year by SCASA.
Leroy Platt, Principal, Tanglewood Middle School
Education: Leroy Platt holds a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Lander University and a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Liberty University.
Background: Currently, Platt serves as Assistant Principal at Tanglewood Middle School. Last year, he joined the GSC. Prior to this, he worked as a Special Education teacher, middle school assistant principal and elementary principal in Greenwood District 50. At GCS, he helped lead the implementation of the AVID program at Tanglewood, supported the special education department, assisted in revamping the student discipline system and worked to engage new partners on the School Improvement Council.
Matthew Keith, Principal, Riverside Middle School
Background: Keith began his career in Georgia, relocating to New Jersey in 2002. In his 22 years in education, he has served as a teacher, coach, athletic coordinator, and assistant principal at a large high school, and for the last ten years as principal of William Allen Middle School ― a school that is consistently ranked among the top twenty-five middle schools in New Jersey. Keith implemented positive behavior intervention programs and led the school in the development of an instruction program that incorporates immersive learning, hands-on experiences, and real-world connectivity.
Meredith Welch, Principal, Rudolph Gordon School
Education: Dr. Meredith Welch holds a B.S. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education and an M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision from Anderson University, as well as an Ed.S. and Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Liberty University. She is a graduate of the GCS Aspiring Principal Institute.
Background: Since 2018, Welch has served as Assistant Principal at Oakview Elementary School. Prior to this position, she served as an administrator at the elementary level and four years as a teacher in Spartanburg District Four. She has been recognized as a SCASCD Emerging Leader and has served on several district committees. At Oakview, she developed programs to support student achievement, including intervention supports, positive behavior supports and strengthened community partnerships with the PTA and community supporters.
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Sheila Gentry, Principal, Washington Center
Education: Sheila Gentry holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Special Education as well as an M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision, all from Converse College.
Background: Gentry has spent her 24-year career working with students with disabilities, exclusively serving students who require the most intensive services. She was a special education teacher for students with moderate intellectual disabilities, as well as those with emotional disabilities. For 15 years, she has served in an administrative capacity as Program Coordinator/Elementary Program Specialist at Spartanburg County’s McCarthy Teszler School, which is a facility similar to GCS’s Washington Center and West Greenville School and serves students from all seven Spartanburg districts.
Stephanie Reese, Grove Elementary
Background: Reese has been an educator for 31 years, beginning her career as a teacher in Aiken and Charleston Counties before coming to Ellen Woodside Elementary, where she served as a teacher and assistant principal before being named to the principalship in 2012. At Ellen Woodside, she was named GCS Administrator of the Year and Upstate Writing Project Principal of the Year, and the school was both a Red Carpet Award Winner and an Exemplary Writing Award Winner. In Columbia County, Georgia, where she moved in 2012 after her spouse was transferred to that area, she was transferred mid-year to lead a Title I school as a change agent. This had been one of the district’s most challenging schools, and in the 2½ years she served as principal, the school experienced double-digit growth and was removed from the state focus schools list. Since 2018, Reese has served as the principal at Fountain Inn Elementary.
Stephen Hampton, Principal, Monaview Elementary School
Education: Stephen Hampton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Newberry College, a Master of Education from Anderson University, and an Ed.S. in Administration from Converse College.
Background: Before returning to GCS in 2019 as Assistant Principal at Lakeview Middle School, Hampton served four years as Principal of Legacy Early College Middle School, six years as Principal of JET Middle School in Edgefield, two years as Assistant Principal of Sue Cleveland Elementary School and six years teaching at the elementary level at Sirrine Elementary School and St. Anthony of Padua School. He has completed the School Leadership Executive Institute program, and the Leaders for Emerging Networks of Schools Program. In Greenville, he assisted with the implementation of the AVID program at Lakeview while serving on numerous committees.
Tatiana Shea, Interim Principal, Southside High School
Education: Tatiana Shea became a National Board-Certified Teacher in 2010 and is a completer of both the Greenville County Schools Instructional Coach Institute and Aspiring Principal Institute. She holds both a B.A. and an M.A. in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision from Clemson University.
Background: Shea currently serves as Assistant Principal at Woodmont High School and has accepted the position of Interim Principal of Southside High School for the 2023-24 school year. She began her public education career as a teacher on Chicago's Southside before moving with her family to South Carolina in 2008, where she taught English for 10 years at Mauldin High School. in 2018, she moved into school administration, serving as the 12th-grade Assistant Principal at Woodmont High School. At Woodmont High, she led the initiatives that ultimately improved the graduation rate at Woodmont High by 15% in just four years.
Nina Tran covers trending topics. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greenville County Schools' new principals for the 2023-24 school year.
