Wendy Carlyle, the first principal at the new W.B. Wicker Elementary School which opened in August, is headed to the Central Office, Lee County Schools announced in a press release Wednesday afternoon.
Carlyle’s move to the Central Office was announced in the wake of the resignation of Dr. Rob Dietrich, Director of Accountability, Testing and Records and Director of Technology, who is leaving the district for a position within the NC Department of Public Instruction.
The Wicker job was also Carlyle’s first as a principal, although she had worked in the Central Office prior to that. She also served as an elected member of the Lee County Board of Education from 2012 to 2015.
Carlyle’s replacement at Wicker will be Aimee Petrarca, who is currently the principal at Greenwood Elementary. Petrarca brings an impressive resume with her, having been named the district’s principal of the year in 2017, and overseeing multiple wins of the Lee County Education Foundation’s Head of Class Award. She has been principal at Greenwood since June 2014, and began her teaching career at B.T. Bullock in 1998. A search for Petrarca’s replacement at Greenwood will begin immediately, according to the release.
“Because of Aimee’s strong instructional leadership, Greenwood has been a three-time winner of the Lee County Education Foundation’s Head of Class Award which honors the top-performing elementary school in the district. As a former elementary teacher, she understands the rewards and challenges teachers face in their classroom every day and works hard to provide whatever support is needed,” Superintendent Dr. Andy Bryan said. “Aimee also has a unique ability to continue to build strong partnerships with the community to support the school.”
Bryan also said the moves were “strategic” and that they matched the needs of the district with the strengths of the administrators.
“I am thankful we have a talented group of administrators within our ranks that are willing to step up and go wherever they are needed to make the district more successful,” he said. “Wendy brings more than eight years of experience as the accountability specialist for the district back to that department. As a former classroom teacher, she understands not only the ins and outs of testing but the importance that the data gleaned from testing has for driving and improving instruction. Wendy did an outstanding job opening and serving W.B. Wicker and she has previously proven her value in supporting our school leaders and teachers.”
Carlyle and Petrarca will transition into their new roles over the next month, with completion expected by March 24, Dietrich’s last day with the district. Additionally, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Chris Dossenbach will oversee the district’s technology department through the end of the school year, allowing continuity of current operations and an opportunity for an evaluation of the needs of the department.