Rock Hill school district names new elementary education leader, literacy coach

The Rock Hill school district has a new leader for elementary education and a new district literacy coach.

Missy Brakefield was named the district’s executive director of elementary education in place of Jill Pappas, who resigned last month. Brakefield will oversee Rock Hill’s 17 elementary schools and early education programs, according to the school district.

Brakefield has been with the district since 1993, the last 15 leading federal and special programs. Brakefield also taught at Rosewood Elementary, and was a teacher and assistant principal at Belleview Elementary.

“Dr. Brakefield brings both an understanding of the district’s hallmarks of strength, vision and possibilities, as well as a sound and long commitment to our teachers, schools and community,” the district said in a statement. “Her experience has afforded her opportunities to progressively work with and alongside elementary school principals to collaboratively support schools.”

Derek Johnson will work directly with teachers on literacy instruction as the district’s literacy coach. Johnson has taught in Rock Hill since 2005, joining as a special education teacher at Oakdale Elementary.

Johnson has worked at Northside Elementary since 2011 as a literacy teacher, where he led small student groups in literacy intervention and trained classroom teachers, according to the district.

Johnson replaces Melanie Westmoreland, who is now a reading coach at Old Pointe Elementary.