Cumberland County Schools names directors and principals
New principals and new directors were approved by the Cumberland County School Board on Tuesday night.
James Blue will be the new principal for SeventyFirst High School. Blue is currently an 11th-grade assistant principal at South View High School.
A district news release stated that Blue started working at Cumberland County Schools in 2009 as an eighthgrade science teacher at Eastover Middle School.
Blue received his master’s in school administration in 2015 from Fayetteville State University and is experienced in “executive leadership, project management, policy development, crisis management and more,” the release stated.
Cumberland Polytechnic High School
Seventy-First’s current principal Niesha Witherspoon will be the new principal for Cumberland Polytechnic High School.
The district news release stated that Witherspoon received her master’s degree in education and integrated studies from Cambridge College in 2002 and has been an educator for about 25 years.
She started working for Cumberland County Schools in 2012 as a facilitator for career and technical education and is experienced in “data analysis, high-yield instructional strategies, school improvements and more.”
Cumberland Polytechnic High School’s current principal Chad Barbour will be the school district’s new director of student activities.
The news release stated that Barbour has served in numerous capacities with the school system since 2002, including being a teacher, academy director, assistant principal and athletic director.
Barbour received his master’s degree in school administration in 2016 from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
Howard Learning Academy
Donald McAllister will be the new principal at Howard Learning Academy. McAllister currently serves as the school’s assistant principal.
McAllister started his career with
Cumberland County Schools in 1995, as an in-home therapist and social worker for the district’s dropout and delinquency prevention program.
He returned to CCS in 2009 as a science teacher at Ramsey Street High School.
McAllister received his master’s degree in educational administration leadership in 2005 from the University of West Florida.
Current Howard Learning Academy Principal Ayanna Richard will be the school system’s new director of Exceptional
Children’s Services, a role she first held when she began her career with CCS in 2020.
Richard has more than 15 years of experience in education including being a teacher, assistant principal and central services administrator.
She received her master’s degree in school administration in 2011 from North Carolina Central University and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership in 2023, from North Carolina State University.
Monica Davis will be Howard Learning Academy’s new assistant principal.
Luther “Nick” Jeralds Middle School
Christin Etchison, who is the current assistant principal at Mac Williams Middle School will be the new principal for Luther “Nick” Jeralds Middle School. Current Principal Joy Bryant is leaving to become the new principal at Johnston County Virtual Academy, according to a January article on the Johnston County Report website.
Etchison had more than 18 years of education experience and started her career at CCS in 2010 as a teacher at Jack Britt High School.
She received her master’s degree in health and safety education/promotion and an add-on license in administration and supervision in 2010, from East Carolina University.
Other changes
District officials also announced that Brittany Raines, a counselor at Spring Lake Middle School, will be the district’s new Career Pathways coordinator. Raines received her master’s degree in school counseling in 2012, from Campbell University.
She started her career at CCS as a counselor for Westover High School in 2012.
Yimiya Pearson, who is currently a secondary mathematics curriculum specialist, will be CCS’ new director of professional development.
Pearson started her career at CCS in 1995 as a high school math teacher.
She received her master’s degree in math education in 1999 from Fayetteville State University.