Spartanburg District Five Schools will begin the 2023-24 school year with some new, and a few familiar faces in leadership positions across the district. Following unanimous approval by the District Five Board of Trustees, the following leaders have been selected for these roles:
- Melissa Fowler, Principal, Abner Creek Academy
- Dr. Meredith Rose, Principal, Reidville Elementary School
- Dr. Ashley Williams, Principal, Beech Springs Intermediate School
- Dr. Allison Hepfner, Principal, D.R. Hill Middle School
- Angie Showalter, Director of Elementary and Early Childhood Education
- Heather Gordon, Director of Secondary Education
- Valerie Calsing, Coordinator of Training and Teacher Quality
A part of the Abner Creek Academy family since 2008, it's clear Melissa Fowler's blood runs Gator green! Fowler takes over the role of Principal of Abner Creek, after serving as the school's Assistant Principal since 2020. Prior to that she was a Literacy Coach (2014-2020) and 3rd grade teacher (2008-2014) at the school.
Fowler earned her Bachelors in Early Childhood Education from Clemson University, Masters in Elementary Education from Converse College, and Masters in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education.
Fowler says, "Abner Creek has been my home for the last 15 years, and it is truly a blessing to continue working with the incredible students and community that I love so much. I look forward to working alongside our amazing staff and supportive parents to continue on our journey towards excellence."
Dr. Meredith Rose may be a new face to District Five, but she's no stranger to Spartanburg County. Dr. Rose served as the Principal of Jesse Boyd Elementary School in Spartanburg District Seven from 2013-2020, during which she helped move Jesse Boyd from an "average" to "excellent" rating on the SC School Report Card.
Prior to that, she was an Assistant Principal and Instructional Specialist at the school. She began her career in the classroom as a Special Ed teacher with 3rd-6th grade students at E.P. Todd Elementary, also in District Seven.
Dr. Rose comes to District Five from Cherokee County, where she's served as the District's Executive Director of Academics since 2020. She earned her Bachelors in Special Education from Lander University, Masters in Elementary Education and Administration from Converse College, and Doctorate in Organizational and School Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Rose says, "I look forward to building upon the excellent foundation of success at Reidville Elementary School, while I develop relationships with students, staff and families. It is an honor for me to be able to serve Reidville and Spartanburg District Five!"
Dr. Ashley Williams is thrilled to continue to call District Five "home", while she moves down the road to assume the role of Principal at Beech Springs Intermediate School. For the last five years, Dr. Williams has done an outstanding job as Assistant Principal at D.R. Hill Middle School. Just this year, she was named South Carolina's Middle Level Assistant Principal of the Year. by the SC Association of School Administrators (SCASA).
Ashley began her career as a social studies teacher at Dorman High School in Spartanburg District Six. She earned her Bachelors in Secondary Education from Clemson University, Masters in Education and Educational Specialists degrees from Arkansas State University, and Doctorate in Educational Administration from South Carolina State University.
Williams says, "As we prepare to expand from an intermediate to a middle school at Beech Springs, I am committed to ensuring a smooth and successful transition for our students, families, and staff. I look forward to working collaboratively with everyone involved to create a dynamic and engaging experience that builds upon the strong foundation of academic excellence and community that already exists at Beech Springs."
Dr. Allison Hepfner is excited to be returning to her "middle school roots" as she moves to Principal at D.R. Hill Middle School. The move is not that far, as she has spent the last two years as Principal of nearby Lyman Elementary School. Dr. Hepfner first came to District Five from Kershaw County in 2021, where she was Principal of Doby's Mill Elementary School from 2018-2021.
She began her education career as a middle school teacher in Philadelphia, PA, teaching 7th and 8th grade ELA. She later made stops Sumter and Saluda, SC. In Sumter, Dr. Hepfner was promoted to an English Master teacher and English Department Head. As a Master teacher, she coached fellow educators, helping to strengthen instruction, and support Project Based Learning initiatives.
Dr. Hepfner earned her Bachelors in English from the University of South Carolina, Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Scranton, and Doctorate in Education from Liberty University.
Dr. Hepfner says, "I am so excited to return to middle school, where I began as a middle level English teacher, and have so many fond memories of helping students grow during that stage of their lives. I am looking forward to getting to know the current students and staff at D.R. Hill, and in a few years, welcome the students I have fallen in love with at Lyman Elementary through its doors."
Following a 35 year career in Spartanburg District Five Schools, Angie Showalter is excited to take on her next role as the district's Director of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. For the last 15 years, Showalter has proudly served as the Principal of Wellford Academy of Science and Technology.
Prior to her time as Principal, she was an Assistant Principal, also at Wellford, and curriculum facilitator at Beech Springs Intermediate School. She started her career as a 3rd grade teacher at Wellford in 1988.
Under Showalter's leadership, Wellford received both the Palmetto Gold and Silver awards, and was one of the top three Title I schools for academic achievement in South Carolina. Showalter earned her Bachelors and Masters in Elementary Education from USC Upstate, and a Masters in School Administration from Converse College. Showalter says, "I am passionate about elementary curriculum and feel like all my experiences as an educator over the years have led me to this. Being able to lead curriculum for our elementary schools in a district I have called "home" for 35 years is definitely a dream come true and a milestone for me."
District Five is happy to welcome Heather Gordon "home", to take on the role of the district's Director of Secondary Education. Gordon is no stranger to District Five, as she was as an Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction at Byrnes High School from 2005-2009.
Since then, she's served as a Principal at Pendleton High School in Anderson County (2009-2012) and Instructional Specialist in neighboring Greenville County (2012-2022). Most recently, she has been an Assistant Principal at Greenville Middle Academy, also in Greenville County.
Gordon earned her Bachelors in Secondary Education from USC Upstate, Masters in School Leadership from Furman University, and her Educational Specialist and Doctorate in Education Administration from the University of South Carolina.
Gordon says, "As one of the fastest growing districts in the Upstate, District Five continues to expand the educational opportunities for students and I cannot wait to work together with district leaders and schools to continue to meet the ever-changing needs of our students and community. This is an exciting time in District Five and I am blessed to become a part of it."
After a short stint away, Valerie Calsing is thrilled to be back "home" in District Five as the district's new Coordinator of Training and Teacher Quality. For the last year, Calsing has been an Assistant Principal at Cannons Elementary School in Spartanburg District Three.
Prior to that she served as a Literacy Coach at Berry Shoals Intermediate School in District Five working with administrators and teachers to implement ELA curriculum and raise student achievement. Valerie started her career in District Five as a special education teacher at Reidville Elementary School, and later taught 3rd grade and Kindergarten, also at Reidville.
She earned her Bachelors in Elementary and Special Education from Clemson University, Masters from Southern Wesleyan University, and Masters in Administration and Supervision from Anderson University.
Calsing says, "I am excited to return home to D5 and serve in the new role as Coordinator of Training and Teacher Quality. I look forward to being able to work with teachers to enhance instruction for student success."
Please join us in congratulating, and welcoming these new leaders to District Five!
