Chanda Mason

Shari Drake

Gregory Hopson

Dr. Rohan Cumberbatch-Smith

Dr. Tiffany Geddie-Suggs

Dr. Heidi Brezinski

Ms. Shelley Lawrence

Hampton City Schools announces principal new hires and changes

Hampton City Schools recently announced principal new hires and changes for the 2021-2022 school year, effective July 1, 2021.

 

New Principals 

 

Mary W. Jackson Fundamental Elementary (formerly Tucker-Capps Fundamental Elementary)

Chanda Mason will be serving the Mary W. Jackson students, families, and staff, replacing Dr. Tiffany Geddie-Suggs who will be serving as the principal at Aberdeen Elementary School.

 

Ms. Mason is coming from Tarrant Middle School where she has served for the past two years as an assistant principal. Her 23 years of experience in education have spanned from her teaching career in Hampton City Schools at Moton Elementary, Bryan Elementary, Tucker-Capps Elementary, and George P. Phenix PreK-8 School. Ms. Mason has served in many different leadership capacities throughout her career, to include elementary and middle school science instructional leader, Climate and Culture Coach, new teacher mentor, Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies Committee member, and the Virginia Department of Education 8th Grade Science SOL Test Item Committee member. Additionally, she has been serving as a positive behavior specialist with Family Restoration Services in Hampton for the past six years.

 

Ms. Mason earned both her Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and Master of Science degree in Education from Old Dominion University. She has also earned an education specialist degree from Old Dominion University through the Hampton City Schools-Old Dominion cohort program.

 

Moton Early Childhood Center

 

Shari Drake has been appointed as the coordinator of early childhood education and will serve Moton Early Childhood Center, replacing Joanne Drew (retired).

 

Ms. Drake has over 20 years of experience in leading teachers, students, and community members. She has served as a Title I coordinator for the past six years. Prior to her current position, she served as a Title I language arts coach, an assistant principal at Merrimack Elementary and Asbury Elementary and an elementary teacher at Cary, Armstrong, and Asbury.

 

She received a bachelor’s in biology from Christopher Newport University and her master’s in early childhood education from Old Dominion University. She continued to further her education and earned her educational leadership administration degree from The George Washington University.

 

Lindsay Middle

 

Gregory Hopson will be serving the Lindsay Lions students, family, and staff as principal. He replaces Dr. Chevese Thomas who is joining the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment team as the HCS academic success coordinator.

 

Mr. Hopson is a product of Hampton City Schools. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from Florida A & M University and a master’s degree in administrative leadership and supervision from Old Dominion University. 

 

After graduating from Florida A & M, Mr. Hopson returned home and began his teaching career at Benjamin Syms Middle School in 1999. From Syms he joined the Spratley Middle team in 2007 as an assistant principal. Over his career, he has served as a middle school assistant principal at Spratley, Eaton, and Andrews. He joined the administrative team at Bethel High School in 2014, where he most recently served as the Academy Principal for Law and Public Safety.  

 

Phillips Elementary 

 

Dr. Rohan Cumberbatch-Smith will be serving Phillips Elementary, replacing Ms. Shelley Lawrence who will be serving as the principal at Mary T. Christian Elementary School.

 

Dr. Cumberbatch-Smith comes to Phillips from Bassette Elementary School where he has served as an assistant principal for the past two years. He joined Hampton City Schools in 2017, serving Kraft Elementary in the role of assistant principal. Prior to HCS, he served the students, parents and staff in Norfolk Public Schools as a building administrator, instructional specialist, and teacher. He began his career in education in New York where he taught second grade and was a special education co-teacher.

 

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from the City College of New York and his master’s in special education from Brooklyn College. He furthered his education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University where he earned his Ed.S. as well as his doctorate in educational leadership.

 

Principal Changes

 

Aberdeen Elementary

 

Dr. Tiffany Geddie-Suggs will be serving the Aberdeen family as the principal for the 2021-2022 school year, replacing Karla Young (relocating).

 

Dr. Suggs has 27 years of experience in education, serving as the principal of Tucker-Capps Fundamental Elementary School for the past five years. Prior to her principalship, she served as an assistant principal at Asbury Elementary and Smith Elementary. Dr. Suggs began her career in education teaching 12 years in the elementary setting.

 

She received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in elementary education from Fayetteville State University. She earned a master’s degree in educational leadership administration and supervision from Regent University and her doctorate in education from Regent University.

 

Burbank Elementary

 

Dr. Heidi Brezinski will be joining the Burbank Bulldogs as their principal. She is replacing Ashley Ide who is joining the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment team as the HCS social studies curriculum leader.

 

Dr. Brezinski has nearly 20 years of experience in education, serving as the principal of John B. Cary Elementary School for the past eight years. Prior to her principalship at Cary, she served as the principal of Phillips, an assistant principal at Kraft Elementary and an assistant principal at Mary Peake Gifted Center. Dr. Brezinski is a product of Hampton City Schools and began her teaching career with Hampton in 2002 serving elementary students at Cary Elementary and Phillips Elementary.

 

She received a bachelor’s in psychology from George Mason University and her master’s in teaching from Christopher Newport University. She continued to further her education and earned her educational leadership administration degree from The George Washington University and her doctorate in educational leadership from Old Dominion University.

 

Mary T. Christian Elementary (formerly Cary Elementary)

 

Ms. Shelley Lawrence will be serving the Mary T. Christian team as the principal, replacing Dr. Heidi Brezinski who will be serving as principal at Burbank Elementary School. 

Ms. Lawrence has over 25 years of experience in education and has served the past four years as the principal of Phillips Elementary School. Prior to her principalship with Hampton, she served as an assistant principal at Broad Rock Elementary School in Richmond. She began her teaching career as an elementary teacher in Petersburg before taking the role as a guidance counselor in Portsmouth, Newport News, Prince George County and Richmond.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Virginia State University. Additionally, she earned a certificate in administration and supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University.