District Five School Leaders Take on New Opportunities

Submitted by Lexington-Richland District Five.

Some Lexington-Richland School District Five administrators will be taking on new roles in the upcoming school year.

District Five Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hefner announced Monday that five assistant principals have accepted opportunities to expand their skills by moving to new schools. 

“We are fortunate to have great principals and assistant principals who provide strong leadership for our schools in District Five,” Dr. Hefner said. “I believe that one of the best things we can do for our assistant principals as they seek to prepare themselves for future leadership roles is to broaden their scope of experience and afford them the opportunity to work in other schools and work alongside different sets of teachers and staff.”

Ballentine Elementary School Assistant Principal Jenny Garris is one of the administrators accepting a new role. She will join the staff at Harbison West Elementary this school year. 

“I think it’s a win-win for the schools and the district," Garris said. "Not only do we get to bring new skills to our new schools, but we get to learn new skills as well. A lot of us have been at the same school for a while, and I think it’s nice to have new experiences.” 

Other assistant principals changing schools include:

• Lake Murray Elementary Assistant Principal Wendy Stoudemire, who will join the staff at Nursery Road Elementary
• Harbison West Elementary Assistant Principal Gina Mays, who will join the staff of Ballentine Elementary
• River Springs Elementary Assistant Principal Boyd Hainsworth, who will join the staff at Lake Murray Elementary
• Nursery Road Elementary Assistant Principal Matt Gams, who will join the staff at River Springs Elementary. 

“All of these assistant principals were performing at high levels at their respective schools and demonstrated potential for leadership opportunities in the future," District Five’s Chief Instructional Officer Dr. Christina Melton said. "We congratulate them as they begin their new endeavors with District Five.”