Gaston County Schools has nominated five principals for the school district’s annual Principal of the Year recognition.
The finalists are Loretta Reed of Woodhill Elementary, Torben Ross of Robinwood Elementary, Jill Payne of Hawks Nest STEAM Academy, Kevin Doran of Cherryville High and Tyler West of Pinewood Elementary.
Gaston County s 2021-22 Teacher of the Year will be named spring 2021 during the district s Evening of Excellence program.
About the finalists:
Loretta Reed began her Gaston County Schools career as a teacher at Hancock Elementary School, which was replaced by Brookside Elementary when it opened in 1994.
She taught at Brookside, Holbrook and Southwest middle schools and Ashbrook High. After teaching in Charlotte briefly, she became assistant principal at North Gaston High School and later moved on to York Chester Middle School. She served Grier Middle School as principal for four years before transferring to Woodhill Elementary ahead of the 2018-19 school y
Students at Gaston County Schools have yet another choice in educational programs and pathways.
Denise McLean, Gaston County Schools’ executive director of student support services, recently announced the launch of the Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences – a healthcare-driven high school with four- and five-year pathways – ahead of the 2021-22 school year.
It’s the school districts 21st student choice program ever to be offered.
Students can earn their high school diploma, as well as an associate degree from Gaston College, while sticking to one of a number of concentrations, which include nursing, human services, human services technology, pre-medicine, biotechnology and medical office administration.