Kim Dean is the new principal of East Albemarle Elementary School. Photo courtesy Stanly County Schools

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ALBEMARLE — East Albemarle Elementary School will have a new principal for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year.

Stanly County Schools recently announced that Kim Dean will take over East Albemarle Elementary’s top leadership role that was previously held by Judith Taylor, who now serves as the district’s director of elementary education.

“Please join us in congratulating Ms. Kim Dean on her new role,” SCS said in a statement on June 5. “We are thrilled to welcome her back to the East Albemarle family and are confident she will lead with heart, vision, and a commitment to excellence. We are grateful for Ms. Taylor’s leadership and lasting impact on the East Albemarle community, and we look forward to her continued contributions at the district level.”

With 22 years of K-6 experience in both public and private education, Dean has also served as a classroom teacher, EC teacher, instructional coach and assistant principal.

“I am incredibly excited and honored to serve as the new principal of East Albemarle Elementary,” Dean added. “I have a deep love for learning and a passion for helping others grow and succeed. Together we will create a supportive and inspiring environment where every student, staff member, and family feels valued and empowered to reach their fullest potential.”

Dean joined the school district four years ago as an instructional coach at East Albemarle Elementary before taking on roles as an assistant principal at both Locust Elementary and Stanfield Elementary.

She was East Albemarle’s Certified Support Staff Member of the Year for the 2021-22 school year.

Additionally, Dean was honored last month by SCS as a finalist for its 2024-25 Assistant Principal of the Year Award at the school district’s annual award ceremony at the Agri-Civic Center on May 22.

“Please join us in wishing Mrs. Dean all the best as she pursues new opportunities,” Locust Elementary School said in a statement. “We are grateful for her dedication to our school and will miss her, but we wish her the very best.”

In April, Stanfield Elementary School honored Dean in a social media post during National Assistant Principals Week: “We hate to break it to all of the other schools, but we have the absolutely best assistant principal in the world. Thank you Mrs. Dean for all you bring to Stanfield Elementary.”

Dean has a Bachelor of Science in Special Education degree and a Master of School Administration degree, along with licenses obtained in the fields of elementary education, exceptional children, curriculum instructional specialist, and school administrator.