School board approves new administrative assignments
Jun. 5—LENOIR — At a Caldwell County Schools Board of Education work session Wednesday, June 1, Superintendent Dr. Donald Phipps recommended new administrative assignments effective July 1, 2022.
The school board approved the selection of Dr. Richard Griffin as principal of West Caldwell High School following the retirement of Craig Styron.
Griffin, a Columbia, South Carolina native, is currently the principal at Kelly Mill Med Pro Middle School in his hometown. He has served as director of Exceptional Children and Federal Programs with Avery County Schools. An educator for more than 27 years, he has experience as an administrator and teacher in K-12 education and has worked 11 years as a high school principal. He holds a Doctor of Education in educational administration with a focus in K-12 school leadership from the University of North Carolina Charlotte.
A former West Caldwell High School assistant principal, Jeff Mayo, has filled the vacancy as principal at Gateway School. Mayo is currently serving as a school coordinator at the Alexander Central High School Student Success Center. He began his career in education as a resource teacher and entered administration in 2012.
The following Caldwell County School administrators have been assigned to new administrative positions:
— Ryan Cooper, principal at Dudley Shoals Elementary since 2019, has been assigned as principal at William Lenoir Middle School, where he served as assistant principal from 2016 to 2018;
— Jenifer Belk McNulty, principal at Hudson Elementary School for the last three years, has been named as the new Federal Programs Director;
— Adrienne Dula, principal at Gamewell Elementary School since 2018, fills the vacancy as Elementary Education Director;
— Monica Martin, assistant principal and then principal at Gamewell Middle School since 2015, will be the principal at Hudson Elementary School;
— Cathy Barlow, former principal of West Lenoir Elementary, fills the principal position at Gamewell Elementary School;
— Helena VanHorn, the Preschool Program Coordinator from 2015 to the present, has been named as the Preschool Programs Director;
— Lisa Vaughn, principal at William Lenoir Middle School for 12 years, has been selected as the new Literacy Specialist for the school district and
— Jessica Overmyer, assistant principal at Whitnel Elementary, fills the assistant principal position at Gamewell Elementary School.
With these recent announcements, there are two remaining principal vacancies. The principal positions at Dudley Shoals Elementary and Gamewell Middle School are open until filled.
