Ocean Shores Elementary will be led by co-principals

Two North Beach staff will jointly take the Ocean Shores Elementary School leadership role in the coming school year, following the retirement of Rhonda Ham. 

Darby Carroll and Stephanie Evans were selected to serve as co-principals of Ocean Shores Elementary in the 2021-2022 school year, according to Superintendent Andrew Kelly.

“I’m excited that the committee selected two student-centered and compassionate candidates to step into these roles,” Superintendent Kelly says.

Since coming to NBSD in July of 2018, Superintendent Kelly says that one of his major goals has been “to nurture professional growth from within the district, whether from para educator to teacher or, as in this case, from teacher to administrator”.

“In our rural remote location, it’s imperative that this district nurtures talent from within to keep the system growing, improving, and serving our kids and families in ways that we previously couldn’t imagine,” Kelly explains.

Kelly says that both elementary schools in NBSD have been aggressively engaged in developing progressive leadership that supports students, and he points to outcomes like a total restructuring of the early learning program and opening of Tugboat Granny’s Child Care facility at Ocean Shores Elementary (OSE), and the recent announcement of a partnership with the Bezos Day 1 Preschool program which will launch in the fall of 2021 at Pacific Beach Elementary (PBE) as examples.

Stephanie Evans has served as Ocean Shores’ Assistant Principal/Teacher On Special Assignment for the past two school years.

“Stephanie is a focused, driven educator who works to align systems and structures to ensure that each child has the supports they need to thrive.”

Prior to joining OSE, Evans taught for seven years in Southeast Texas, both at an Early College High School geared toward first generation college-bound students, and a comprehensive high school of nearly 4,000 students. Not long after pursuing her administrative credentials, Evans relocated to Ocean Shores.

Darby Carroll has served as Administrative Intern and Dean of Students at Ocean Shores Elementary for the past year. In that position, she worked with school and district administrators “to review diagnostic district assessment data and lead professional development to support student learning”.

The goal, she said, was to organize, innovate and collaboratively support all students, families and community members while staying true to the vision and mission of Pacific Beach Elementary.

Carroll has taught in the district since 2017 at several grade levels including kindergarten, first, second, and fifth grade.

“Darby has an intense heart and passion for the success of each child,” Superintendent Kelly says. “She wears her commitment on her sleeve and is consistently working to advocate for equitable outcomes for each scholar.”

Ham, who has been the principal of Ocean Shores Elementary for nine years and has worked in North Beach School District (NBSD) for 35 years in a variety of roles,will retire in June.