West named as new principal at Northeast Elementary School
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 14, 2016 1:46 PM
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Julie West
Julie West has been named principal at Northeast Elementary School, the latest in a series of principal shifts for Wayne County Public Schools that began four months ago.
This mark the last administrative vacancy that needed to be filled, with all 33 schools now having leadership in place.
Mrs. West, elementary curriculum specialist at Carver Heights Elementary School since 2012, will start at NEE today.
She replaces Robert Yelverton, who was named principal at Goldsboro High School last month.
The string of administrative changes was kicked off when Eastern Wayne High School Principal Gene Byrd announced his retirement in November.
His role was filled by Lee Johnson, principal at Wayne Early/Middle College High School since its opening in 2006. She moved to Eastern Wayne in December.
In early January, two more staffing moves were announced. Freda Allen, Rosewood Middle School principal, was named administrator at Wayne Early/Middle, with Goldsboro High School principal Brian Weeks stepping into the role at Rosewood Middle.
With Yelverton moving to Goldsboro High School, that left the void at Northeast Elementary.
Mrs. West, whose husband is Chris West, current chairman of the school board, has more than 22 years of experience in the profession, 20 of those in WCPS.
She began her career in 1993 as a science teacher at Southern Wayne High School. While there, she was named the county's high school teacher of the year in 2001.
In 2007, she became a district level teaching and learning coach. In 2011, she was named a K-12 lead science teacher.
Since 2010, she has served as a per diem science content expert for Thinking Maps Inc., providing training in school systems across North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia. For the past two years she has served as the lead elementary curriculum specialist for the district's summer reading camp.
In addition to the various support roles she has held, Mrs. West has a personal history at the school she will now lead.
"My sons attended Northeast Elementary when they were children," she said. "I am honored to once again be part of the Northeast family."
Mrs. West holds a bachelor's degree in biology, a secondary teacher certification, an academically and intellectually gifted certification, a master's degree in school administration and a certification in curriculum and instruction.
"I am truly excited about to begin this next step in my journey as an educator and school administrator," she said. "I look forward to working with the staff and school community to enhance and promote teaching and learning at Northeast Elementary.
"With a diligent focus on building relationships, increasing student achievement and making data driven decisions, Northeast Elementary will continue working to personalize instruction for all students."