At their June 13 board meeting, the SCS Board of Education approved two curriculum recommendations from SCS Superintendent Dr. Jamie King, effective beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
Edie Sohigian will become the new executive director of elementary schools education for Sampson County Schools. She moves into this new role with over 23 years of experience in education. Prior to serving as the director of elementary teaching and learning in Lexington, Kentucky since 2022, Dr. Sohigian spent 20 years as an educator in Central Florida. She held positions as a school and district-based administrator in Orange County Public Schools, the nation's ninth-largest school district.
During her tenure as a School Improvement Specialist with the Florida Bureau of School Improvement, Dr. Sohigian spent five years delivering evaluation services, coaching, and professional development to leadership teams in underperforming K-12 schools. Her journey in education began in 2001 as a classroom teacher and instructional coach in the School District of Osceola County.
Dr. Sohigian earned both her Doctorate in Educational Leadership as well as her master’s from National Louis University, where she later served as an adjunct professor, chairing dissertation committees and instructing doctoral and master’s level courses. She earned dual bachelor degrees in elementary education and sociology from The State University of New York at Potsdam.
James Parker, IV will become the new executive director of middle schools education for Sampson County Schools. He brings over 26 years of experience in education, most recently serving as principal of Jones Senior High in Trenton, NC since 2022.
His experience includes district leadership work as MTSS coordinator with Duplin County Schools, secondary curriculum specialist with Bladen County Schools, and director of the 21st Century Community Learning Center program with Clinton City Schools. Dr. Parker also held positions as principal of Warsaw Elementary, Wallace Elementary, and West Pender Middle schools, as well as assistant principal and athletic director of South View High School. His classroom experience is as a math and science teacher at B.F. Grady Middle School in Duplin County and New Bridge Middle School with Henrico County Public Schools in Richmond, Virginia. He began his teaching career in 1998 as an 8th grade science teacher at Goldsboro Middle in Wayne County.
Parker earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from North Carolina State University, a master’s of education in Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Mount Olive College. He obtained his non-degree teacher licensure from East Carolina University.