Casey, Rogister Earn Top PCS Leadership Awards
Dr. Michael Casey (Ayden Elementary School) and Mandy Rogister (Chicod School) were selected as the 2026 Pitt County Schools Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year, respectively, during a celebration banquet sponsored by the Pitt County Farm Bureau at Rock Springs Center Thursday.
Other principal finalists included Farmville Middle School's Jeremiah Miller and Wintergreen Primary and Intermediate School's Dr. Paul Briney. Patrick Egan (Ayden Middle School), LaShonda May (Elmhurst Elementary School), Marcus Pate (J.H. Rose High School), Lisa Robbins (Sugg-Bundy Elementary School) and Allison Taylor (South Central High School) were the assistant principal candidates.
Appointed to the top leadership role at Ayden Elementary in 2022, Dr. Casey previously served as assistant principal at G.R. Whitfield School (2018-2020) and at J.H. Rose High School (2020-2022). He was selected as the 2020 PCS Assistant Principal of the Year during his tenure at G.R. Whitfield, which was preceded by a one-year assignment as a principal resident with Edgecombe County Schools.
Dr. Casey is in his 15th overall year as an educator and eighth in administration. After earning his bachelor's degree from SUNY Fredonia in music education in 2009, he followed with a master's in school administration from North Carolina State in 2012. Dr. Casey was selected into the PCS Transformational School Leaders Academy (Cohort 2) in 2020 and earned a full scholarship as one of 15 cohort members (Principal Fellow) with the Northeast Leadership Academy at NCSU. In 2024, he completed requirements for a Doctor of Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) degree from East Carolina University.
With over eight years of administrative experience and nearly 30 years in education, Rogister has served as assistant principal at Chicod School since 2023. She is currently in her 19th year with Pitt County Schools, which includes nine years as a teacher at Chicod and two as assistant principal at Northwest Elementary School. Rogister was appointed to her first PCS position as a district reading specialist in 1996 before her move to Northwest in 2001. She followed with third- and fifth-grade teaching assignments at Chicod before and after administrative roles at East Carolina University and Opendoor School.
Rogister is a two-time ECU graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1995 and a master's of school administration and supervision in 2000.
"Strong leadership drives our continued progress, and this recognition reflects just that," PCS Superintendent Dr. Steve Lassiter said. "Dr. Casey and Ms. Rogister represent the kind of integrity, commitment, and vision that move our district forward. Their schools’ success stories echo the upward momentum we’re seeing across Pitt County Schools, where dedicated leaders are helping students grow and achieve at higher levels each year."
Dr. Casey succeeds Megan Newman of Elmhurst Elementary School, who was chosen as the 2025 PCS recipient. Rogister follows Katy Swain who was named the system's assistant principal of the year last October while at Lakeforest Elementary School and has since been elevated to a principal role at Ridgewood Elementary.
