Dr. Katrina James named Principal of Hartsville Middle School
New Hartsville High School Principal Dr. Katrina Green. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Darlington County Board of Education approved Dr. Katrina James as the new principal of Hartsville Middle School (HMS) on Monday after a recommendation from the district administration. James, who is currently assistant principal at HMS, will step into the role July 1.
DCSD Superintendent Dr. Tim Newman made the recommendation to the Board of Education during its monthly meeting.
“I have full confidence that Dr. James is ready for her new role as principal at Hartsville Middle School,” Newman said. “I know great things are in store for the future, and I know that the Hartsville Middle staff, parents, and community will rally around Dr. James as she transitions to her new leadership role.”
James brings more than two decades of public school teaching and administrative experience to the helm of HMS. She began her teaching career in North Carolina in 2000 before joining HMS in 2005 as an eighth-grade science teacher. In 2009, she became a facilitator of the Team FOXES Learning Academy at HMS, where she helped manage the education of approximately 250 students with the goal of increasing student achievement and preparation for high school. She became assistant principal at the school in 2013.
“I’m honored that Dr. Newman and the Darlington County Board of Education are entrusting me with the principalship of Hartsville Middle School,” she said. “I’m excited to begin working as principal, and I believe my 17 years of experience at HMS will be advantageous. I look forward to strengthening relationships with families, students, and other community stakeholders in order to engage all of our students in learning experiences that are responsive, challenging, empowering, and equitable. I am especially thankful to my family for their love and support in all my endeavors.”
James holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership from Columbia International University, a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University, and a Master of Science in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment from Walden University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Fayetteville State University. She holds state certifications as a Middle-Level Science educator, an Elementary Principal, and as a Secondary Principal.