LAURINBURG — Scotland High School principal Greg Batten has accepted the principal position at Shaw Academy, school officials announced Friday.
The change will become effective on Tuesday — the start of the spring semester.
Batten has served as principal at the high school for the past two-and-a-half years. He will work as principal at Shaw throughout the remainder of the school year with plans to retire at the end of the academic year.
‘I have been considering retirement and the end of this school year seemed the right time to do it,”Batten said. “However, I didn’t want to impede the search for or the placement or hiring of the new principal at the high school, so when the opportunity at Shaw became available, I felt that it was in my and the school’s best interest to accept it.”
Shaw’s current principal, A. J. James, will now serve the district as student transition coordinator at Scotland Early College High School alongside principal, Patrick Peed.
Dr. Jonathan McRae will serve as the interim principal at Scotland High School.
McRae is the district’s director of testing and accountability. He has also worked in the district as principal of Laurel Hill Elementary School from 2011 to 2014 as well as principal of the Visual and Performing Arts Smaller Learning Academy at the high school from 2009 to 2011.
“As always, we will provide the administration, staff, and students any support needed during this transition,” said school superintendent, Dr. Ron Hargrave. ‘We know that if we continue to keep the success of every student as our focus and common goal, these changes will be seamless.’
Batten came to Scotland High school after serving as principal at Lee County High School in Sanford. He also served as principal at Southwestern Randolph High School. He served three years as assistant principal and two years as a teacher at Lee County High School. His teaching experience also includes six years at Western Harnett High School. Batten has coached various sports, including varsity and junior varsity baseball, varsity and junior varsity basketball, and varsity football. Batten is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in political science and journalism. He received a teacher certification with a degree in secondary social studies from Fayetteville State University and a Master of School Administration from North Carolina State University.
