Editorial by Rickie Harris

 

It has been a busy summer; and, now it is that time of the year in which we begin another journey of preparing students through excellence every day. Within West Orange – Cove CISD there have been changes in administrative leadership at both the district and campus levels. These new leaders will bring fresh energy and perspective. As a team, we are all eager to welcome students on Aug. 28 and move them forward during the 2017-2018 school year.

Dr. Nina LeBlanc is the Assistant Superintendent of Schools. She has previously served as the Executive Director of Human Resources and Executive Director of Student Services within our system. Dr. LeBlanc will lead student learning and will also be responsible for recruiting, developing, and exiting employees. To assist her in developing our teachers are Dr. Larry Haynes, Elementary Director of Curriculum, and Ashton Knox, Secondary Director of Curriculum. Both have served as leaders at our elementary campus. Also to assist in the area of technology driven instruction, former WOS Middle School Dean of Instruction Jennifer Tippett will serve as the district’s new Instructional Technology Specialist. Desiree de la Rosa will join our team and assist in the areas of transition and career readiness by serving as WOC’s Coordinator of Transition and Career and Technology Education.

Additionally, we have new principals at each of our campuses.

Wilt Alexander is the High School principal. New members of his campus leadership staff include Assistant Principal Broderick McGrew and counselors Alisa Huckaby and Cliff Carlin. Mr. Carlin is a former WOS High School counselor. Ms. Huckaby was a counselor most recently at WOS Elementary.

Sherry Hardin is the West Orange – Stark Middle School Principal. She has previously served as principal at North Early Learning Center and as a WOS Middle School assistant principal. New members of the Middle School leadership team also include former WOSMS math teacher Denise Willingham who will now serve as an assistant principal. Iberia Smith has served in many different positions within the district; now, she will serve as counselor for the campus. Former Literacy Coach Tiffany Richard Brown will now serve as the Middle School Dean of Instruction.

The new principal of WOS Elementary is Dr. Troy Bethley. New members of his leadership team include Associate Principal Benny Smith. Mr. Smith has returned to us from retirement. Assistant Principal Courtney Charles is also returning to the campus. Three new leadership team members come from the campus. Former Literacy Coach Christina Anderson will be the Dean of Instruction. Former teacher Annely Domas will serve as the Literacy Coach. Yokisha Hope, another former teacher, will become a campus counselor. Yunekia Pollard is new to the District and will serve as the Numeracy Coach.
Vickie Price is the new principal at North Early Learning Center. She has been a member of the leadership at WOS Elementary for quite some time, serving as Dean of Instruction, summer school principal, and assistant principal.

Within this new leadership structure, we look forward to meeting the needs of all students with an atmosphere of excellence every day!

As contemporary author John Maxwell said, “One is too small a number to achieve greatness.”

Go Mustangs!

 

Rickie R. Harris is the Superintendent at West Orange – Cove CISD