Williston Middle is one of four area schools to have new leadership at the start of the 2015-16 academic year.
During a meeting earlier this week, the New Hanover County Board of Education named Ronald Villines as Williston’s top administrator. He replaces Dr. Jerry Oates–current New Hanover County Principal of the Year–who was hired in July by neighboring Brunswick County Schools to serve as that district’s executive director of human resources. Villines previously served as an assistant principal and principal at middle and high schools in Graham.
A former Brunswick County educator will return to the area, this time as assistant principal at Virgo Preparatory Academy.
Jeff Swanson, currently an assistant principal at Granville Central High School in Oxford, previously worked as a teacher and intervention coordinator at South Brunswick High School in Southport, among other positions throughout the state.
And the board promoted longtime Ogden Elementary teacher Stephanie Washington to an assistant principal of the school. Washington has worked as at Ogden Elementary since 2003, and completed her administrative internship there, as well.
Board members also picked a Piedmont-area educator to take charge of the off-campus offerings at Wilmington Early College High School.
Donnie Watkins, high school dean at Triad Math and Science Academy in Greensboro, will step in as the early college’s program director.
The job marks a return to Wilmington for Watkins, who is a former counselor with New Opportunities at Lake Forest Academy. He has also served as a high school graduation coach and coordinator in Asheboro and a student service administrator with Guilford County Schools.
Each of the four administrative contracts approved by the board Tuesday will run through June 30, 2017.
