PCS Leadership Appointments Announced for Chicod, Ridgewood
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Pitt County Schools Superintendent Dr. Ethan Lenker on Wednesday announced two principal appointments, effective January 1, 2023.
Leslie Hayes will move to Chicod School to serve as the principal after six years leading Ridgewood Elementary School. She will succeed Mike Pollard, who will retire Dec. 31, 2022 after 28 years in the PCS system and 16 as an administrator, which includes his tenure as principal at Chicod that began in 2017.
Kirby Maness, currently an assistant principal at Ridgewood, has been promoted to assume Hayes' duties. He joined PCS in 2016 as a teacher and athletics director at J.H. Rose High School before moving into an assistant principal's position there two years later and following with a similar appointment at RES in 2020.
Hayes and Maness will be working collaboratively with both campuses, respectively, on a transition plan that meets the needs of both schools before the January 1, 2023 start date.
Leslie Hayes - Principal, Chicod School (effective 01/01/23)
PCS Employment:
2016-present -- Principal, Ridgewood Elementary School
2013-2016 -- Assistant Principal, Chicod School
2012-2013 -- Assistant Principal, E.B. Aycock Middle School
2011-2012 -- Assistant Principal, Elmhurst Elementary School
2008-2009 -- Gifted Education Teacher, Farmville Middle School
2006-2008 -- Gifted Education Teacher, Pactolus School
Misc ... Ms. Hayes has facilitated continued education for over 60 teachers and cultivates positive relationships between community members, 750+ students and 100+ staff members at RES; earned certifications in Academically Gifted, Curriculum Instruction Specialist, Elementary Education (K-6) and as a School Administrator (principal); holds an affiliation with the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals' Association.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in elementary education - East Carolina University (2005)
Master’s degree in elementary education - East Carolina University (2006)
Master’s degree in school administration - East Carolina University (2012)
Doctoral student (Ed.D. Educational Leadership) - East Carolina University (in-progress)
Statement:
"I am genuinely grateful to the exceptional educators, students and families I have worked with while at Ridgewood. I am truly a better leader due to my time there. Chicod School has a long history of excellence. I am excited about returning to the Chicod community and look forward to partnering with staff, families and community members to continue building upon that tradition by providing students with the best educational experience possible."
Kirby Maness - Principal, Ridgewood Elementary School (effective 01/01/23)
PCS Employment:
2020-present -- Assistant Principal, Ridgewood Elementary School
2018-2020 -- Assistant Principal, J.H. Rose High School
2016-2018 -- Social Studies Teacher/Athletics Director, J.H. Rose High School
Misc ... Mr. Maness was recognized for his engagement with the Pitt County Schools Transformational School Leaders Academy (Cohort 2) and was selected as the PCS Assistant Principal of the Year (2020-21); recipient of the Carol Smith Gardner Educational Leadership Fellowship Scholarship (2022-23) and Cecil Troy Wilson Scholarship in Education (2022-23); member of the Vertical Alignment PLC for math and ELA, along with the Equity-Centered Network Improvement Community; currently serves as a PCS assistant principal mentor.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in secondary history education - East Carolina University (2007)
Master’s degree in education (IST) - University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2011)
Master’s degree in school administration - East Carolina University (2016)
Doctoral student (Ed.D. Educational Leadership) - East Carolina University (in-progress)
Statement:
"I am very thankful and excited for the opportunity to serve the Ridgewood Elementary School community as their new principal. I look forward to continuing the standard of excellence established at Ridgewood and working collaboratively with the amazing students, staff and community. We are four houses but one family."
