Rock Hill board hires 2 elementary school principals

The Rock Hill school board has approved hiring two principals to fill vacancies at Independence and Rosewood elementary schools.

Kimberly Odom replaces Lesley King as principal of Independence Elementary School, while Deborah Greenwood replaces Stephanie DiStasio as principal of Rosewood Elementary School.

Odom returns to Rock Hill after 15 years in teaching and administrative positions in the Chester County School District and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. For five years, she has served as principal of River Gate Elementary School in Charlotte. Odom was assistant principal at Chester Middle School, and at Sterling Elementary and Lake Wylie Elementary schools, both in Charlotte.

Before that, she was a counselor at Chester Park Elementary School and a teacher at Rawlinson Road Middle School. Odom is completing her doctorate at University of South Carolina. She has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Winthrop University, a master’s degree from South Carolina, an education specialist degree from South Carolina State University and The Principal’s Center Institute from Harvard University.

Greenwood comes to Rock Hill after four years as principal of Forest Hills Global Elementary School, a Title I and International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme school in Wilmington, N.C.

In addition to housing the French immersion program, Rosewood is a Title I and International Baccalaureate school.

She also was an elementary principal with South Redford Schools in Redford, Mich. Previously, she was an elementary principal with Holly Area Schools in Holly, Mich.; Title I coordinator with Oak Park Schools, Oak Park, Mich.; executive director of K-12 curriculum and instruction with Brandon Schools in Ortonville, Mich.; and elementary principal with Avondale Schools, Auburn Hills, Mich. She holds degrees from Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University.

Assistant principal vacancies remain at Independence and Rosewood. To apply, visit rock-hill.k12.sc.us/jobs.

This story was originally published July 7, 2017 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Rock Hill board hires 2 elementary school principals."