Martinsville City Public Schools (MCPS) is excited to announce a series of leadership transitions that will take effect July 1, 2025. These changes reflect the district’s commitment to fostering professional growth, strengthening instructional leadership, and placing dedicated educators in positions where they can best serve our students.
Several familiar faces will begin the 2025-2026 school year in new roles throughout the division.
Bobby Dalton, a Martinsville High School graduate, is returning to his alma mater as assistant principal. Dalton previously worked at Martinsville High School before expanding his professional experience in other districts. With more than 25 years in education and deep roots in the community, he brings valuable leadership and insight that will benefit both students and staff.
Clarence Simington, currently serving as assistant principal at Martinsville High School, will transition to Central Office administration as the division’s Truancy and Dropout Prevention Specialist. In this role, Simington will work closely with school administrators, counselors, and directly with families to reduce dropout rates and support student success across all grade levels.
Jill Holder, who has been the assistant principal at Albert Harris Elementary School since 2022, will move to Martinsville Middle School, where she will take on the assistant principal position. She brings nearly two decades of experience in education to the role having previously worked as a preschool and elementary teacher as well as instructional coordinator before moving into her assistant principal role.
Mark Toole, who has served as assistant principal at Martinsville Middle School since 2022, will join the Central Office team as Coordinator of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math), CTE (Career and Technical Education), and Fine Arts. Toole taught math for 13 years at Martinsville High School, where he also coached the MHS MADAWGS Robotics Team. His leadership and knowledge will be key in expanding and enhancing CTE offerings to prepare students for college and careers.
"I'm honored to take on this new role,” Toole said. “I’m excited to work with educators, industry partners, and community stakeholders to strengthen our STEAM, CTE, and Fine Arts programs. Our goal is to empower students with the skills, creativity, and confidence they need to thrive in a dynamic global landscape and I look forward to doing what I can to help them succeed."
Barbara Brown, instructional instructional coordinator at Albert Harris Elementary, will become the new assistant principal at Patrick Henry Elementary School. Brown has played a pivotal role in instructional planning and teacher support at Albert Harris and will bring that expertise to a new school community.
Stephanie Boyd, assistant principal at Patrick Henry, will make the move to Albert Harris Elementary School, where she will serve in the same role. This move brings her career at MCPS full-circle as she began her career with the district teaching at Albert Harris in 2008.
Liz Lynch, an award-winning STEM teacher at Patrick Henry Elementary, will also join the Albert Harris team as Instructional Coordinator. In 2024, she was selected as a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for K-12 STEM teachers.
"I began my teaching career at Albert Harris,” Lynch said. “I’ve had so many opportunities to grow with MCPS at various schools and I’m excited to bring these skills and experiences back to Albert Harris as I continue to grow and support our students in this new role.”
"These transitions represent our district’s ongoing commitment to excellence, leadership development, and student-centered decision-making,” said MCPS Superintendent Dr. Zeb Talley. “We’re confident that each of these talented educators will thrive in their new roles and continue to make a positive impact on our students.”
MCPS is grateful to all administrators for their dedication and service and looks forward to a strong start to the new school year under their leadership!