Three new administrative assignments recently were made in the Patrick County Public School division due to the resignation of a principal.
Jeannie King was named principal at Woolwine Elementary School following the recent resignation of Dee Owens; Marcie Murphy now will serve as principal at Patrick Springs Primary School, and Rozina Turner, currently an academic coach, will take the helm at Blue Ridge Elementary School.
“All three of the principals are excellent educators,” Superintendent William D. Sroufe said. “While it’s not an ideal time to move people, sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control.”
The trio reassigned “will do an excellent job in their new positions,” Sroufe said.
KING
King began her career in the school division in 1992 as a teacher assistant at Patrick Springs Primary School. She became a first grade teacher at Woolwine Elementary School in 1993 and spent 15 years there as an elementary teacher of kindergarten, first, and third grade.
In 2008, King accepted her first principal position at Meadows of Dan Elementary, and in 2014 returned to Patrick Springs Primary School as principal.
This year marks her 26th year in Patrick County Public Schools, and her 10th year as an elementary school principal.
King received a bachelor’s degree from Longwood College in 1992; she earned her master’s degree in administration and supervision PreK-12 in 2007, and also received a certificate from the Recently Appointed Administrators Institute from Virginia Tech in 2009.
Her educational experiences have afforded her the opportunity to collaborate with different communities of people to meet the common goals of increasing student achievement as well as establishing high expectations for character and social well-being.
Her educational philosophy is based on her uncompromising belief that all students can learn and it takes all stakeholders working together– students, staff, teachers, parents, and community members to aid student success.
King, who makes her home in Woolwine, is excited to be leading the students where she attended elementary school. She also looks forward to continuing the excellent traditions and levels of achievement already established.
MURPHY
Murphy is an educator with 15 years of vast experience. Initially, she began her educational career with Henry County Public Schools as a special education (SPED) teacher, where she taught special education at both the high school and elementary level for four years.
In 2006 she moved to Belton, Texas where she taught special education for one year and six years as a first grade teacher at Sparta Elementary. Her experiences in the classroom compelled her to seek certification in educational administration.
She served as an assistant principal at Richard E. Cavazos Elementary School in Nolanville, Texas for two years before moving back to Virginia to be the assistant principal at Stuart Elementary. Last year, she was the principal at Stuart Elementary. Murphy holds a bachelor’s degree in professional communications, a master’s degree in special education, and an endorsement in educational leadership.
She is excited to be part of the Patrick Springs Primary School community in which she will be able to use her teaching and administrative experience in primary grades and special education, as well as continue to support the strong instructional foundation at PSPS.
TURNER
Turner is a veteran teacher with 21 years of service in the local school division. She taught grades 5 through 7 at Woolwine Elementary School for 19 years, and for the past two years, has served as the Title I teacher.
Her leadership experiences also include School Test Coordinator and English Instructional Facilitator. As a reading specialist, Turner is dedicated to providing balanced literacy instruction to all students.
A PCHS alumnus, Turner earned her bachelor’s degree in English and elementary education (PreK-8) from Longwood in 1996. She earned her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a focus in reading from the University of Virginia in 2012, and her certificate in administrative leadership from James Madison University in 2016.
Turner said she looks forward to becoming a part of the Blue Ridge Elementary School family and community.
“I am eager to serve the Blue Ridge Elementary students, families, faculty and staff. BRES has a reputation for high levels of student learning and achievement, and I will continue to lead the school in that direction,” Turner said. She and husband, John, make their home with their daughters in Woolwine.
