Gregory McKnight, Assistant Principal of Bethesda Elementary School, has been appointed Principal of Merrick-Moore Elementary School.  He replaces Kathy Kirkpatrick, who was recently named principal of Lowe’s Grove Middle School. 

Tonya M. Williams has been appointed principal of Eno Valley Elementary School.  She replaces Sylvia Bittle, who was recently named principal of Spring Valley Elementary School. 

Seventeen schools in the Durham Public Schools system made High Growth for the 2007-08 school year under the ABCs of Accountability testing program.  Another 15 schools reported Expected Growth, meaning that 32 of 48 DPS schools, or 67 percent, reported either Expected or High Growth in student achievement.

Eight Durham Public Schools made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation this year, up from six last year.

The eight schools that met or exceeded 100 percent of their goals are, Easley, Hillandale, Lakewood, Mangum, Southwest and Watts Montessori Elementary Schools, Shepard Middle School and the Clement Early College High School.