Cumberland County Middle School Assistant Principal Melissa Reese will become the new assistant principal of Cumberland County High School following a departure by the current Cumberland County High School Assistant Principal Cora Tolliver.

Dr. Amy Griffin

Dr. Amy Griffin announced the new appointment during the January Cumberland County Board of Supervisors meeting Jan. 9.

Griffin said Tolliver will take a position with the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC).

She noted that Reese will be transferred from the middle school to the high school, and Griffin said Jan. 9 that Cumberland County Public Schools (CUCPS) will be looking for a middle school assistant principal to fill Reese’s role.

Griffin confirmed last Wednesday that CUCPS officials are continuing to be in the hiring process to look for an assistant principal.

Tolliver’s last day will be Wednesday, Jan. 31. Reese will assume the assistant principal position Thursday, Feb. 1, Griffin said.

Tolliver said last Wednesday that she will work within the VDOC Correctional Education Department.

“More specifically, I will work at a women’s correctional facility where they offer the offenders an opportunity to earn Career and Technical Education credentials and certifications, as well as a (General Equivalency Diploma) GED,” Tolliver said.

Tolliver said she has worked with Cumberland County Public Schools (CUCPS) for seven and a half years, since July 2010.

Tolliver said she will miss the interactions with students and staff, and the camaraderie she found with CUCPS, but said she is excited for the new position.

Cora Tolliver

“Leaving Cumberland High School is very bittersweet because of the family atmosphere we have with the students, faculty and staff,” Tolliver said. “I will miss the students most of all because there is never a dull moment with them and they help me to stay current. However, in my new position, I am looking forward to helping adults have a second chance at receiving a quality education.”

Reese, who had previously been assistant principal at Park View Middle School in Mecklenburg County, said last Friday she is excited to assist Cumberland County High School.

“As the high school assistant principal, I will support Dr. (Jeffrey) Scales, the principal, to ensure our students are learning in an environment that is safe, positive, engaging and truly prepares them for future success.”

Melissa Reese

Reese said she will miss working with the students at Cumberland County Middle School, but said she is excited to take on the new role.

“I will definitely miss the smiling faces of the students,” Reese said about what she will most miss about the middle school. “But I will also miss seeing the growth and strides that our students and faculty make each and every day. The faculty’s dedication to student success is evident in every aspect of (Cumberland County Middle School).”

“As the new high school assistant principal, I am looking most forward to building relationships with the students and faculty and having a positive impact on the (Cumberland County High School) community,” Reese said.