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Theresa Cox returns to lead Northwest
By Sarah A. Wise
NL Staff Writer
12 July 2007 — As the school year wrapped up this year at Northwest Elementary School, parents and staff alike were worried about what direction the school would take after the retirement of Principal Alex Wingate and the arrival of a stranger to their school.
But after the name of the new principal was announced, many breathed a sigh of relief, because the new principal of Northwest isn’t a stranger at all.
Theresa Cox, who is moving to Northwest after a year and a half as principal at Belfast Academy, was the assistant principal at Northwest. She came to Northwest for what she calls her first true administrative job, serving as assistant principal for three years after earning her master’s degree.
She feels that her previous experience working with the school will definitely be a plus in the coming school year.
“It’s like coming back home,” she said. “A lot of the children that were here before are still here, and many of the staff members were here when I was here before, too.”
Theresa began her career in education 13 years ago, when she started as a teacher at Ayden Middle School in Pitt County. She served as a teacher there for three years before moving over to Wayne County and working at Spring Creek School.
However, after two years at Spring Creek, Theresa decided to take the big step of furthering her education in order to become an administrator.
She spent one year taking courses full-time at Fayetteville State University. The second year, she gained experience as an assistant principal at Dillard Edison Academy in Goldsboro.
After graduation, she came to Northwest Elementary. After leaving Northwest, she spent a year and a half at Dillard before moving to the principal position at Belfast.
Though she has done a lot of moving around during her years as an administrator, Theresa said the changes have given her a better experience.
“I’m a bouncing ball,” she said. “I say that, but in a good way. Having gone between different schools has given me a chance to work with kids from all kinds of backgrounds. There’s a variety of children and a variety of parents, and I really appreciate the experience.”
She said her moves, some of which were voluntary, have made her more well rounded as an administrator.
“We want our kids to be well-rounded, so I would like to encourage that by example,” she said.
Though she has seen a variety of children in her various positions, she said that making the shift to Northwest from Belfast Academy, which is an alternative school, won’t be as hard as some might think.
“In my opinion, wherever you work, you have children facing challenges, in every school,” she said. “Some schools might have more children with challenges than Northwest, but we still have children facing challenges.”
Theresa, who is originally from Durham, said that love brought her to Wayne County. Her husband Gary is from the Parkstown area, and she came to Wayne County to be with him, even spending her last year in Pitt County commuting from Wayne County every day.
Theresa and Gary have two children. Gary, Jr. is twelve and attends Eastern Wayne Middle, and Sheris, who is five, will start at Eastern Wayne Elementary in the fall.
When she’s not busy with school, Theresa said much of her spare time is devoted to her family. They are very involved in church activities, and Gary’s father is a pastor. She said she also loves to shop, and tries to exercise when she can.
“I’ve been called a workaholic,” she said. “But I do try to devote my weekends entirely to my family.”
As she begins her time as principal of Northwest, Theresa said she just hopes to continue the success the school has seen.
“There’s always room for improvement,” she said. “I just hope that the success we’ve seen so far will continue.”
Issue of 12 July 2007 Headlines Theresa Cox returns to lead Northwest Stantonsburg police get their man Stantonsburg under water restriction Show your pet some love at the Ice Cream Social and Pet Parade Pikeville burglary arrest made Medicaid costs ramp up Wayne Co,'s budget Wayne Schools support $2 billion bond package Wayne Wilson News Leader Princeton News Leader |
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