Longtime Kennedy Middle School (KMS) educator Nicole Stansell has been named as the school’s new assistant principal, filling a void in the hallways and hearts of students and staff alike following the unexpected passing in August of former KMS assistant principal Jeff Harting.
The Aiken County Board of Education approved Stansell’s appointment during the school board’s Tuesday, October 26, 2021, regularly scheduled meeting.
“Accepting this role is bittersweet for me,” Stansell said. “The idea of administration has been a career goal of mine, and Jeff was a dear friend who often encouraged me to seek out an opportunity like this.”
Stansell sees her new role as a way to honor Harting by continuing to serve in a school both she and Harting had been committed to for many years.
Stansell’s academic background includes a Bachelor degree in Middle School Education from the University of North Georgia, a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix, and a certificate in Leadership and Administration from the University of South Carolina.
She has spent her entire 15-year teaching career at Kennedy Middle School where she has taught seventh grade math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, English Language Arts, and eighth grade Math, Transitional Algebra, Math Inclusion, and Geometry. Remaining at KMS has allowed Stansell to build rapport with stakeholders and better understand the school’s culture.
“My relationships with students, parents, faculty, and staff, as a teacher, give me a strong foundation to build on as an administrator,” Stansell stated.
As a new assistant principal, Stansell says she will continue to foster important relationships with all stakeholders.
“I will apply my teaching philosophy beyond the classroom to reach students where they are,” stated Stansell. “Working as part of the Leadership team and a Department Chair has also given me the opportunity to serve as an advocate for our math teachers at Kennedy and I want to take that experience and support all of our teachers through instruction and collaboration.”
Stansell’s duties as a Kennedy Middle School assistant principal begin in November.
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LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2021 PR KENNEDY MIDDLE AP