The Academy at Smith and Southwest Middle School will have new leadership in 2015-16.

At its meeting Tuesday night, the Guilford County Board of Education appointed Kerrie Douglas as the new principal for Southwest Middle. Douglas currently serves as the assistant principal at Ferndale Middle and has also served as assistant principal at Northwest High. In both positions she helped to increase student test scores. She has also served as a Title I program specialist for the Northern and Western regions; curriculum facilitator at Ferndale Middle; and an English teacher at Northwest High.

“Mrs. Douglas has a strong background in school improvement efforts with administrative experience at both middle and high school levels, as well as curriculum facilitator and classroom experience,” says Sandra Culmer, interim superintendent for the Western Region.

Lance Stokes will take the helm at The Academy at Smith in July, after serving as principal of Jackson Middle since 2009. During that time, Jackson Middle saw an increase in reading and math proficiency and the student attendance rate increased from 88 percent to 95 percent. The school was also recognized as a North Carolina Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) Model School in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Stokes has also served as the principal of Sedalia Elementary, assistant principal of Hairston Middle and The Downtown Middle School in Winston-Salem.

Both appointments will begin July 1.