New School and Department Leadership Roles Announced on June 15, 2026

At its June 15, 2026, business meeting, the Orange County Board of Education approved a number of recommendations by Superintendent Dr. Danielle Jones for changes in school and district leadership roles.

We are proud to announce the following administrator assignments for the 2026-2027 school year:

• Avery Artis, Principal of Partnership Academy High School
• Signe Coffey, Principal of New Hope Elementary School
• James Franks, Director of School Nutrition Services 
• Kumar Sathy, Director of Student Equity, Assessment, and Accountability
• Anderson Wyatt, Assistant Principal at Orange High School

Dr. Jones stated that these leaders will bring depth of experience in teaching, coaching, and building a positive culture to their new roles in school and district leadership.

“I am pleased to welcome these administrators to new roles in Orange County Schools,” said Dr. Jones. “I fully expect that these school and department leaders will help their schools and departments continue moving in a positive direction, as we embark on a new school year and launch our new five-year strategic plan to improve outcomes across our district.”

Avery Artis, Partnership Academy High School Principal

Mr. Avery Artis will join Partnership Academy High School on July 1, 2026, as the new principal after two years as an elementary principal and four years as a high school assistant principal, and years of experience as a math teacher and behavior and academic coach. 

Mr. Artis comes from North Elementary School, where he was recently named Caswell County Schools Principal of the Year for leading the school to improved results and elevating a positive school culture. Previously, he served as an Assistant Principal at Western Alamance and Cummings High Schools in Alamance-Burlington School System. 

Prior to his behavior coach role at Broadview Middle (ABSS), Mr. Artis moved from math instructor to academic coach and principal intern at Cummings over a five-year span. As a math teacher in Guilford County Schools for nine years, he used comedy and performance to “make math come alive” and was named Allen Middle School Teacher of the Year.

Mr. Artis earned his Master of Science in Education Leadership at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Master of Science (Statistics and Mathematical Sciences) at the University of West Florida (Pensacola). He received his Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) degree at the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (Greensboro). He is licensed in the areas of Principal K-12, Middle School Mathematics and Science, Secondary Mathematics, and Higher Education.

Mr. Artis looks forward to “creating an environment of joy” and engaging with students, staff, and families as the principal of Partnership Academy:

“My vision for our school is for every student to have the same opportunity for success as in any high school. I want Partnership students and graduates to have everything they need to compete, from their journey through high school onward to their career and academic success. 

“I believe this starts with building a connected school culture, with engaged families and a learning environment that makes students want to be in school every day. We get to build positive relationships that can last the rest of their lives, and I am excited to see what our students will accomplish!”

Signe Coffey, New Hope Elementary Principal

Ms. Signe Coffey joins New Hope Elementary School as the Voyagers’ new principal starting on or before July 17, 2026, after eight years as an Assistant Principal and Lead Teacher/Learning Coach and six years teaching at North Elementary in Person County Schools and Hillandale Elementary in Durham Public Schools.

Ms. Coffey most recently served as Assistant Principal at Murray-Massenburg Elementary School and Bethesda Elementary following her principal internship at Sherwood Githens Middle School (Durham). After four years as teaching and learning coach at Hillandale Elementary, she was Lead Teaching and Learning Coach for Durham Public Schools, supporting coaches to increase student achievement.

Ms. Coffey earned her Master of School Administration degree at North Carolina State University fully funded by the Principal Fellows Program, after her Master of Arts in Education from Teachers College at Columbia University (New York, NY) and Bachelor of Science in Education from The College of Saint Rose (Albany, NY). She is certified in teaching grades K-5, school administration, LETRS (literacy training) for Administrators, and Hill RAP (Reading Achievement Program).

Ms. Coffey said she is thrilled and deeply honored to introduce herself as the new Principal of New Hope Elementary School:

“It is a privilege to join such an outstanding school community, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our students, families, staff, and community partners. As I step into this role, I am committed to supporting and building upon the strong foundation that makes New Hope such a special place. Together, we will continue to foster a culture of excellence, belonging, and growth while celebrating the unique strengths of every student.

“I look forward to getting to know each of you and partnering with our dedicated staff and families as we guide our Voyagers toward success. The future is bright, and I am excited for all that we will accomplish together. 

“We are Voyagers. We are ‘Out of This World!’”

James Franks, School Nutrition Services Director

Mr. James Franks will be the new Director of School Nutrition Services effective August 3, 2026, bringing over 12 years of progressive leadership and competencies spanning child nutrition, senior living dining services, food service health inspections, and regulatory compliance.

Mr. Franks has been steadily promoted to increasing responsibility for ALG Senior Living (NC), Harmony Senior Services (NC, SC, VA), and Brookdale Senior Living (NC), through his team leadership in dining, nutrition, and operational performance across multiple residential facilities. 

He provided quality assurance oversight for 30 sites through the South Carolina Department of Corrections. He previously led child nutrition operations and provided nutrition education across multiple Coastal Community Action Head Start sites in Newport, NC, and conducted health inspections and managed nutrition programs for Jones County Health Department (TN).

Mr. Franks earned his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from East Carolina University and is certified as a ServSafe instructor and proctor to certify employees in food safety practices.

Mr. Franks said, “I believe that every meal is a promise kept—that a child’s health comes first and their potential is worth protecting. I am excited to join this team and help ensure that all our students have what they need every day for the opportunity to be successful in school.”

Kumar Sathy, Director of Student Equity, Assessment, and Accountability

Mr. Kumar Sathy has been promoted from District Equity Facilitator to the new position of Director of Student Equity, Assessment, and Accountability in the office of Equity and Student Achievement, effective July 1, 2026.

Mr. Sathy joined the teaching profession in 2002 as a Teach for America teacher in Atlanta, GA, and first joined Orange County Schools in 2020. He has over 10 years teaching experience in elementary and middle grades at Hillsborough Elementary School and New Hope Elementary School (OCS), Carolina Friends School, Durham Public Schools, and Atlanta Public Schools.

Mr. Sathy is a licensed North Carolina educator in Pre-K through Grade 6, with a K-12 Principal’s License, an undergraduate degree in Biopsychology from Earlham College, and a Masters Degree in School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a certified mediator, restorative practices facilitator, and Cognitive Coach. He is a 2022-23 Center for Racial Equity in Education Fellow, a 2023-24 NC Institute of Political Leadership Fellow, a 2024 Community Dialogue Fellow, a 2024-25 Kenan Teacher Leadership Fellow, and a 2025 LEE Policy Advisor Fellow (Leadership for Educational Equity).

Mr. Sathy said, "I am grateful and honored to step into this new leadership role as Director of Student Equity, Assessment, and Accountability. I look forward to supporting schools and district leaders by helping accurate information move clearly between state, district, and school channels in our collective effort to ensure student achievement and success."

Anderson Wyatt, Orange High School Assistant Principal

Mr. Anderson Wyatt will join Orange High School as an assistant principal effective June 16, 2026. He most recently served two years as Dean of Students at C&L McDougle Middle School in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS), with responsibility for student discipline and oversight for multiple academic departments and behavioral support staff.

Before his current role, Mr. Wyatt served two years as Restorative Coach and Behavior Specialist at McDougle Middle where he led the Restorative Practice Center for students and provided student behavior support for staff.

As a business education teacher since 2016, he covered areas such as computer science, entrepreneurship, economics, and leadership and was named McDougle Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2021-2022.

Over his eight years as a teacher at McDougle Middle, Mr. Wyatt was assigned as an elective department chair, equity coach, School Improvement Team chair, yearbook advisor, and beginning teacher mentor. He was named CHCCS Mentor of the Month for October 2024. 

Mr. Wyatt earned his Master of School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Appalachian State University (Boone).

Mr. Wyatt said, “I am so proud and honored to join Orange High School as one of the new Assistant Principals! I look forward to meeting and building authentic relationships with students, families, staff, and community members as we work together to continue the outstanding work already taking place at OHS. It’s a great day to be a Panther!”

 

Editor (June 16, 2026): The dates on this post have been updated to reflect accurate start dates for all new leadership roles.