Press release from Buncombe County Schools:
Superintendent Dr. Tony Baldwin today announces two new administrative assignments for Buncombe County Schools for the 2016-17 school year. Dr. Donna Lanahan is the new principal at the Buncombe County Early/Middle College, and Dr. Sheila Gibbs has been named interim principal at W.D. Williams Elementary School. Dr. Lanahan replaces former Principal Bonnie Johnston, who was named the new principal at T.C. Roberson High School, and Dr. Gibbs- a retired BCS school administrator- assumes the role of interim principal after Principal Kim Ward resigned to accept a leadership position in South Carolina.
“It is an honor to serve as principal of Buncombe County Early College and to lead this unique and vibrant school community,” Dr. Lanahan said. “I look forward to working with the exceptional faculty and staff, and I share their commitment to powerful teaching and learning, to our mission, and to our students.”
These assignments were unanimously approved by Board members at yesterday’s Special Called Board Meeting. After the meeting, senior leadership announced each new principal’s appointment to their respective faculty and staff. Biographical information of these administrators includes:
Buncombe County Early/Middle College: Dr. Donna Lanahan will be the principal at the Buncombe County Early/Middle College. Most recently, she served as the Dean of Students at the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences (SILSA) in Asheville City and previously worked as an instructional coach with North Carolina New Schools (2013-16), the director of the BCS Graduation Initiative (2006-12), a coordinator at the Buncombe County Early College (2004-06), an English/Social Studies teacher at the Buncombe County Middle College (2002-04), and as an English teacher at Clyde A. Erwin High School (1998-2002). Dr. Lanahan has a BA in Literature from UNC-A (1997), an MA in Education from Wake Forest University (1999), an MA in Educational Leadership from Western Governor’s University (2016), and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University (2012).
W.D. Williams Elementary School: Dr. Sheila Gibbs is the new interim principal at W.D. Williams Elementary School. Dr. Gibbs most recently served as the interim principal at Haw Creek Elementary School (2015) and previously worked as the principal at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School (2011- 14), the BCS director of media/instructional technology services (2008-11), the principal at Fairview Elementary School (2004-08), the principal of Woodfin Elementary School (2002-04), the assistant principal at West Buncombe Elementary School (1998-2002), a BCS elementary teacher (1985-98), and a Polk County Schools elementary teacher (1983-85). Dr. Gibbs has a BS in Elementary Education (1983), an MA in Elementary Education (1987), an MA in School Administration (1996), and a doctorate in School Administration (2007). All of these degrees were conferred from Western Carolina University.
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