Officials say the year is off to a great start at Phenix Elementary, and the school is “delighted to have some new people joining us for the 2017-18 school year.”

According to a press release, new staff include Speech Language Pathologist Melissa Puryear. “Puryear has a B.S. in human development from Virginia Tech and M.S. in communication disorders from Longwood University. She has taught in Danville Public Schools and Halifax County Schools for six years and in various nursing and assisted living facilities for nine years. Puryear resides in Mt. Laurel with her husband, Stacy and their four children.” 

Joining the school as its new second-grade teacher is Angela Stimpson, who is starting her 24th year teaching. “She has previously taught pre-k, first grade, kindergarten, fourth grade and Title I Reading at Brookneal Elementary. She is married to Gray. She has a son, Shane; daughter-in-law, Rachel and granddaughter, Addie Grae of Knoxville.  She also has a daughter, Chelsey; son-in-law, Sean and a grandson, Leland, of Nathalie.  She loves teaching and providing for the needs of the students.”

“In a position new to our school, we welcome Charlene Haskins as guidance counselor,” officials said in the release. “Haskins has her B.S. in social work elementary education pre-k-6, masters in school counseling pre-k-12 and endorsements as a social worker and guidance counselor.  She has worked in both Mecklenburg and Charlotte County Departments of Social Services prior to entering the field of education in 1995. Haskins worked as a high school guidance counselor, has taught various grades (including pre-k, second, fourth and fifth), and served as head teacher and instructional coordinator. Haskins lives in Red Oak with her husband, Alex. She believes every child has a right to the best education and every child can learn regardless of his/her socioeconomic status or ethnicity.” 

The school has a new pre-k teacher and paraprofessional this year.

“Because of the large number of four-year olds enrolling from the Phenix area, Jill McCormick and Susan Lenhart have transferred from Eureka to Phenix. McCormick, a resident of Appomattox County, is starting her 32nd year teaching for the Charlotte County School System. She began in 1986 at Bacon District as a third-grade teacher for one year and a kindergarten teacher for two years. She taught at Bacon District until 1989. From 1989-1997, she taught kindergarten at Phenix Elementary.  From 1997-2014, she taught pre-k at the Early Learning Center. From 2014 -17, she taught pre-k at Eureka Elementary. Mrs. Lenhart has worked for Charlotte County Public Schools for 25 years as a pre-k paraprofessional. This is her first year at Phenix Elementary and she says everyone has made her feel so welcome. She is looking forward to becoming a part of our Phenix family. She lives in Chase City and enjoys the lake life with her husband and three sons.”