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After conducting a nationwide search with the assistance of a search firm that yielded more than 25 applicants, the Oxford Preparatory School (OPS) board approved the hiring of current OPS lead EC teacher, Ms. Ashley Barnette, as the new upper school director to begin on July 1. Ms. Barnette will be working closely with current upper school director, Mrs. Vici Bradsher, during the transition in the interim.
Ms. Barnette’s career spans 12 years in education, with roles as an EC teacher and lead EC teacher. Ms. Barnette currently serves as the lead EC teacher at Oxford Prep based in the upper school since August 2020. In her time at OPS, she has served on the school improvement team, upper school leadership team, and the executive director’s cabinet.
She previously worked as an EC teacher at Wilton Elementary for one year, Tar River Elementary for two years, and at Mariam Boyd Elementary in Warren County for seven years. During that time, she had various positions and recognitions including IEP chairperson, Digital Stars Cohort participant, and teacher technology leader. Ms. Barnette previously earned a master of arts in curriculum from Appalachian State, a master of arts in special education from East Carolina, and a bachelor of arts in political science from UNC Chapel Hill. Ms. Barnette is the parent of two current OPS students, a youth recreation volleyball coach, and a member New Sandy Creek Baptist Church.
In addition, the OPS board approved the hiring of current kindergarten teacher, Ms. Jade Currin, as the new lower school student services coordinator. Ms. Currin will transition into this new position on July 1 and will serve in a parallel position with the current upper school student services coordinator, Mrs. Cynthia Grissom-Young. Ms. Currin previously served as kindergarten teacher at Wilton Elementary for eight years where she was named as the teacher of the year at Wilton Elementary and Granville County Public Schools before joining OPS as a kindergarten teacher in 2020. Ms. Currin previously earned a bachelor of arts in elementary education and a masters in education from UNC Wilmington and is beginning a PhD program in educational leadership at the University of Kentucky.
Finally, the OPS board approved updated and expanded roles on the lower school leadership team, whereby Mr. Kevon Grant will serve as the lower school reading interventionist and specialist and Mrs. Allison Satterfield will serve as the lower school math interventionist and specialist.
OPS Executive Director Andrew Swanner remarked, “After a lengthy and robust search process, the search committee was able to affirm that the emerging and dynamic leader for the upper school director position that we were looking for was fortunately already on our team. We are really excited about the future outcomes for continued improved student learning that we will be able to achieve with this new expanded leadership team.”
Also, as a result of a recent school policy change to add student board members (non-voting ex-officio), which may be the first to do so among all North Carolina charter schools, the OPS board approved two student applicants to serve during the 2022–2023 school year. Elijah Griffin is a member of the class of 2023 and also currently serves as the student body vice president. Lillian Brooks is a member of the class of 2023 and also currently serves as the student body president.
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