By Dexter Hinson, Staff Writer
Sunday, November 22, 2009 — With five and a half years as an administrator within Stanly County Schools, Rhonda N. Gainey, who has been Kendall Valley School’s principal for two years, looks forward to the years to come.
Desiring to come closer to home a few years back while working in Mississippi, the Union County (N.C.) native found the opportunities to be great in Stanly County, and delights in being a self-described “life-long learner.”
“I enjoy learning because education is something that no one can ever take away from you,” Gainey said. Receiving her bachelors from Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, Mo., a dual masters in human resources management and education from National-Louis University in Chicago, special certification in administrative leadership Nova Southeastern University in Orlando, Fla., Gainey will receive a doctorate in education from Walden University in the spring of 2010.
Finding a family oriented community when she arrived at Kendall Valley, Gainey said that she receives a lot of support and consideration from parents, staff and students alike.
“It’s a wonderful place to be…everybody cares about each other,” she said. The circle of support comes full circle, provided that Gainey stands behind the faculty and staff.
“The biggest thing is supporting teachers and equipping them with the tools they need to make our students successful,” Gainey said. Having served in the past as a high school basketball and volleyball coach, establishing strong relationships with students is top on her list, and Gainey insists on continually achieving this aim.
Outside of her profession, Gainey enjoys spending time with her son, who is a seventh grader at East Union Middle School, and her daughter, a kindergartner at Kendall Valley. Gainey is also active in the community in Union County where she currently resides. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is a basketball official with the Wingate Recreational League.
