Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Trustees approved a reorganization of Central Services Tuesday night.
It is a reorganization that the school system says will further strengthen the district’s commitment to high student performance and growth and strong parent and community partnerships.
Executive Director of Instructional Services Julie Thompson has been named assistant superintendent of instructional services.
Thompson has worked 12 years in the district and formerly served as an English teacher and an assistant principal at Roanoke Rapids High School.
She is a graduate of North Carolina State’s Northeast Leadership Academy, a school leader preparation program designed to develop 21st Century administrators who drive improvements in student achievement in northeast North Carolina's rural, high-need schools.
Director of School improvement Alexandria Evans will be taking on two roles as the executive director of school improvement and accountability.
Evans is also a NELA graduate.
After graduating from NELA, she was an assistant principal at Roanoke Rapids High School from 2014-2016.
She served as the exceptional children’s program director from 2016 until this year.
“This plan builds on the momentum we already have here in the district. This team has worked through the recent challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and proven to build collaboration among stakeholders,” Superintendent Dain Butler said. “This reorganization plan makes our team even more supportive and efficient to serve our school community while creating a lower recurring cost to the district.”
Additionally, the district’s public information officer position currently held by Les Atkins will become a full-time role. Atkins has served in a part-time capacity for the past eight years.
“This position will benefit our district as we continue to communicate with our parents virtually and strengthen our communication with our Roanoke Valley partners and stakeholders,” Butler said.
Atkins currently heads all public communications, social media, and media relations for the district.
Prior to opening his marketing and public relations agency in 2006, Atkins worked as a news journalist in Roanoke Rapids, Richmond and Roanoke.
The reorganization plan will become effective July 1.
