CMS Names Regional Directors

By Steve Lyttle, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Jun. 6–The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools today named area superintendents for each of the system’s new learning communities that begin operation July 1.

The school system earlier had named the area superintendents, who will oversee CMS operations in each of six geographic parts of the county, but it had not announced where they would be working.

In addition, the school system named executive directors — or assistant regional superintendents — for each of the learning communities.

Those directors include the current principals at Park Road Montessori, Long Creek Elementary, Ashley Park Elementary, First Ward Elementary and West Rowan high schools.

The learning communities are part of the CMS decentralization plan, designed to bring school services closer to families. The program will allow students and family members to visit local offices for many of the services which formerly were offered only at the Education Center or Walton Plaza, uptown-area buildings which house CMS administrators and their staffs.

The new regional superintendents and their executive directors will be:

CENTRAL: Joel Ritchie, former principal of Butler High School, as regional superintendent. His executive directors will be Linda Kiser, principal of Park Road Montessori School; and Ron Dixon, associate superintendent of middle school curriculum and instruction.

The Central district has 40 schools and about 24,000 students and includes many of the system’s magnet schools.

EAST: Nancy Bartles, former principal of Independence High School, as regional superintendent. Her executive director will be Monique Gardner-Witherspoon, executive director of staff and licensure for human resources.

This district has 24 schools and about 25,000 students.

NORTH: Hugh Hattabaugh, who came to CMS last week from Little Rock, Ark., where he was deputy superintendent, will be the regional superintendent. The executive director will be Lory Morrow, principal at Long Creek Elementary.

This district has 16 schools and nearly 20,000 students but is in the fastest-growing part of Mecklenburg County.

NORTHEAST: Scott Muri, who came to CMS last week after serving as principal of St. Cloud (Fla.) High School, will be regional superintendent. Muri also is a former administrator in Avery County, in the N.C. mountains. The executive director will be Melissa Dunlap, principal of Ashley Park Elementary.

This district has 24 schools and 21,500 students.

SOUTH: Robert Avossa, chief of staff for CMS, will be regional superintendent. The executive director will be Olivine Roberts, who formerly was associate superintendent in Little Rock, Ark.

This district has 25 schools and nearly 24,000 students.

WEST: Elva Cooper, who had been regional superintendent for elementary schools-East, will be regional superintendent. Her executive director will be Carolyn Means, principal of West Rowan High.

This district has 23 schools and nearly 21,000 students.

ACHIEVEMENT ZONE (for the 10 lowest-performing schools): Curtis Carroll will be area superintendent. The executive director will be Shelton Jefferies, principal of First Ward Elementary.

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