Superintendent Dr. John Kopicki has announced the following personnel appointments which were approved by our Board of Education on Monday, July 17th.  

Krina Patel-Pressley, assistant principal at West Cabarrus High School, has been named principal at Hickory Ridge Elementary School, replacing Adrian Parry who has resigned. Krina began her new role at Hickory Ridge Elementary on July 18, 2023. 

Krina started her teaching career in South Carolina before coming to Cabarrus County Schools as a teacher at R. Brown McAllister in 2016. Before her role at West Cabarrus, she was assistant principal at Concord Middle School.  

Krina holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree from Charleston Southern University.   

Dr. Tyrone Corlew, principal with Hickory City Schools, has been named principal at C.C. Griffin STEM Middle School, replacing Dr. Yolanda Blakeney who has resigned. Tyrone will begin his role with C.C. Griffin at a date to be determined later. 

Tyrone served as a teacher and assistant principal for many years in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System before starting his current position with Hickory City Schools in 2020. 

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Johnson C. Smith University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Phoenix. 

Chris Jonassen, principal at Porter Ridge Elementary School in Union County, has been named principal at Concord Middle School, replacing Tonya Williams who has resigned. Chris will begin his role at Concord Middle at a date to be determined later. 

Chris was a middle and high school principal in Stanly and Montgomery Counties before joining Union County Schools. 

He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s University and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Pembroke. Chris is currently completing his doctoral work at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. 

Jennifer Buskey, Dean of Students at Rama Road Middle School with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, has been named assistant principal at W.R. Odell Primary School, replacing Kristy Bullock, who has transferred to the same position at Central Cabarrus High School. Jennifer will begin her new role at a date to be determined later.  

Jennifer taught in a variety of positions in North Carolina and Michigan before graduating from the Principal Fellows program in 2021 and beginning her administrative career at Rama Road Middle. 

Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree from Albion College and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. She completed her teaching licensure at Eastern Michigan University. 

Brittany Smart, assistant principal at Mountain Island Academy with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, has been named assistant principal at Harris Road Middle School, replacing Sue Nash who has resigned. She will begin her role with Harris Road at a date to be determined later.  

Before starting her role at Mountain Island, Brittany also served as a Dean of Students and a middle school science teacher.  

Brittany holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte and a master’s degree from Queens University. 

Congratulations to Krina on her new role within the district and welcome Tyrone, Chris, Jennifer, and Brittany to Cabarrus County Schools.