The Granville County Board of Education approved personnel changes Monday, moving a high school principal to a district-level position.
Amy Rice, principal at J.F. Webb High School, will lead the district’s testing and accountability, as well as coordinate K-12 Science, the arts and STEM programs. Rice replaces Beth Cook, who will retire later this month after a 32-year career in education.
Rice, a Webb alumna, has led her alma mater school for the past three years. The district plans to name an interim principal during the search process, according to Dr. Stan Winborne, associate superintendent for curriculum & instruction and district public information officer.
“These last few years at Webb have been the most rewarding of my career,” Rice said in a written statement from GCPS. “Serving as principal at the school I graduated from and where I started my teaching career has been an honor. I move into this next role knowing the students will be well taken care of by the wonderful Warrior staff. I look forward to continuing to serve my community, the staff and the students of Granville County Public Schools.”
Rice graduated from Appalachian State University and has masters degrees in Science Education and School Administration. She taught high school science for eight years. Before moving to administration as an assistant principal and then as principal for five years at Stovall-Shaw Elementary.
Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean said transitions are bittersweet. “We salute Ms. Cook for her dedication and service to the district and wish her well in her retirement. We also welcome Mrs. Rice into this new, critically important role at the district level,” McLean stated.
“We will work to ensure a smooth transition as we search for her replacement. The J.F. Webb High School community deserves the highest caliber of leadership available and they will certainly have direct input into the selection process of their next school leader,” she added.