School system shuffles two more principals: Trevathan, Allison are assigned new positions

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

TREVATHAN

The retirement of several key school system administrators and principals has created a ripple effect which will change the makeup of the central office and the leadership of several county schools.

The list of changes includes Eastside principal Jane Allison and Irving College principal Michael Trevathan both leaving their positions.

Beginning the ripple effect was the retirement of Transportation Director Dearl Cole and Federal Programs Director Donald Jones. Melissa Orrick, Cole’s assistant of 19 years, has been chosen as his successor while Priscilla Wanamaker, the school system’s Director of Instruction, was picked to succeed Jones.

With this year’s implementation of President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, the position of federal programs director will require someone with an extensive knowledge of instruction, said Director of School Dr. Jerry Hale. He indicated Wanamaker, with her experience, was the logical choice.

Attendance Director Bobby Cox was picked by Dr. Hale to fill the Director of Instruction vacancy created by Wanamaker’s departure. He cited Cox’s experience in working with a system-wide program as one of the main reasons he was chosen. Cox was a physical education teacher at West Elementary before becoming attendance director.

Slatted to become the new attendance director is Eastside principal Jane Allison. Dr. Hale said Allison felt like another challenge and indicated her experience as a principal has made her very familiar with the state’s attendance requirements. He added widespread rumors that School Board Chairman Mike Holland will be given a position in the attendance department are not true.

In a lateral move, Irving College principal Michael Trevathan will take over the reins at Eastside. That school’s programs and operations are better suited for Trevathan’s skills, Dr. Hale said. The principal’s position at Irving College has not yet been filled though system officials hope to name a successor toward the end of July.

Eastside Elementary and Irving College Elementary join Warren County High School and Morrison Elementary in receiving new leadership this summer. Retiring high school principal George Bolding was replaced by Morrison principal James Bennett who was himself replaced at Morrison by high school assistant principal Ronnie Brown.

Dr. Hale admitted a period of adjustment will be unavoidable but said he is looking forward to working with the new team of administrators and principals. “They’re all highly motivated, competent, hard-working people,” said Hale. “They’ll work till they get the job done. They are always willing to find new solutions to problems and find a better way to do things.”