Superintendent of Schools Kimberly Hill today announced administrative, principal and vice principal changes for the 2018-19 school year. All appointments are effective July 1.

Elementary school principal changes are:

  • Brian King, vice principal at Theodore G. Davis Middle School, as principal at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School.
  • Ben Harrington, vice principal at Dr. James Craik Elementary School, as principal at Arthur Middleton Elementary School.
  • Lou D’Ambrosio, principal of Middleton, as principal of Berry Elementary School.
  • Shane Blanford, vice principal at Mary H. Matula Elementary School, to principal at Indian Head Elementary School.
  • Mary Finneran, vice principal at Mary B. Neal Elementary School, to principal at Malcolm Elementary School. She replaces longtime Malcolm Principal Wilhelmina Pugh, who is retiring at the end of this school year.
  • Karen Lewis, vice principal at Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School, to principal at Dr. Brown.
  • Sabrina Robinson-Taylor, current principal at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, will serve as principal at Billingsley Elementary School when the school opens at the start of the 2019-20 school year. Her position with Billingsley begins on Jan. 2, 2019.
  • Nicholas Adam, a current vice principal at William A. Diggs Elementary School, will serve as principal at Mitchell starting Jan. 2, 2019.

Middle school changes

The Board approved the appointment of four new middle school principals. Current Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Principals Benjamin Kohlhorst, Sandra Taylor and Christienne Warren are moving from their current elementary school to the middle-school level.

  • Kohlhorst, principal of Barnhart, moves to John Hanson Middle School. He replaces Susan McCormick, who is retiring at the end of this school year.
  • Taylor is leaving Berry to take over as principal at Milton M. Somers Middle School.
  • Warren is leaving Dr. Brown to become principal at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, which operated with an interim principal during the past school year.
  • Brenda Tillotson, vice principal at Hanson, moves to principal at General Smallwood Middle School. 

High school change

The Board approved one high school principal change:

  • Diane Roberts, vice principal at Thomas Stone High School, to principal at Westlake High School.

Administrative appointments 

Two middle school principals and one high school principal have accepted CCPS administrative positions.

  • Carrie Akins, principal of Somers, will be an instructional specialist for Career and Technology Education (CTE).
  • Smallwood Principal Kathy Kiessling has accepted a position as the CCPS Director of Student Services. Kiessling replaces Dr. Patricia Vaira, who will retire at the end of the school year.
  • Michael Meiser, principal of Westlake, has accepted a position as director of the Lifelong Learning Center (LLC). Meiser replaces longtime LLC coordinator Elizabeth Sinnes, who will retire at the end of this school year.

The Board approved the following new vice principal appointments:

Elementary-school level

  • Diedra Barnett, reading resource teacher at Gale-Bailey Elementary School, as vice principal at J.P. Ryon Elementary School;
  • Jason Peer, school counselor at Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School, to vice principal at Eva Turner Elementary School;
  • Jennifer Posey, fifth-grade teacher at Gale-Bailey, to vice principal at Matula;
  • Timothy Rosin, principal at Indian Head to vice principal of Gale-Bailey;
  • Ashley Valenzuela-Carrington, first-grade teacher at T.C. Martin Elementary School, to vice principal at Mitchell; and
  • Candice Vallandingham-Adam, instructional resource teacher at Middleton, to vice principal at Neal.

Middle-school level 

  • Ethel Hosendorf, administrative intern at North Point High School, to vice principal at Hanson;
  • Portia Parker, administrative intern at Stoddert, to vice principal at Stoddert;
  • Keisha Rock, new to CCPS, vice principal at Davis; and
  • Anthony Sgro, science teacher at Mattawoman Middle School, to vice principal at Somers. 

High-school level 

  • Sonja Djossou, administrative assistant at Davis, to vice principal at Maurice J. McDonough High School;
  • Corey Dobbins, administrative assistant at North Point, to vice principal at North Point; and
  • Darnell Lewis-Russell, administrative assistant at Stone, to vice principal at Henry E. Lackey High School.

The following vice principal transfers were made:

Elementary-school level 

  • Jason Deihl, vice principal at Turner to vice principal at Craik;
  • Scott Hangey, vice principal at Gale-Bailey to vice principal at Ryon;
  • Keri Loyd, vice principal at Somers to vice principal at William B. Wade Elementary School;
  • Jean Ritter, vice principal at Indian Head to vice principal at Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School;
  • Joseph Rubilotta, vice principal at Wade to vice principal at Indian Head;
  • Erica Watson, vice principal at Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy to vice principal at J.C. Parks Elementary School; and
  • Todd Wonderling, vice principal at Mitchell to vice principal at Dr. Brown. 

Middle-school level 

  • Robert Baker, vice principal at Somers to vice principal at Mattawoman Middle School;
  • J.T. Hanley, vice principal at Mattawoman to vice principal at Stoddert;
  • Kevin Reisinger, vice principal at McDonough to vice principal at Davis; and
  • Erica Williams, vice principal at Stoddert to vice principal at Somers. 

High-school level

  • Jason Mackey, vice principal at Lackey to vice principal at St. Charles High School; and
  • Melissa Miesowitz, vice principal at St. Charles to vice principal at Stone.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 26,900 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 36 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Patricia Vaira, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.