Naomi Whitfield

School Principal

Phone: (704) 538-2190
Address: 4217 Cedarbrook Lane, Charlotte, NC 28205
Website: https://linkedin.com/in/naomiwhitfield
Email:
  • Results-driven educational leader with 14 years of progressive experience spanning classroom instruction, department leadership, and school-wide administration, seeking to leverage a proven record of raising student achievement and building collaborative school cultures as a School Principal.
  • Spearheaded a school-wide literacy initiative as Assistant Principal at Ridgeview Middle School that increased English Language Arts proficiency rates by 18% across three grade levels within two academic years.
  • Managed a $2.4M campus operating budget, oversaw master scheduling for 62 staff members, and led the successful implementation of a 1:1 technology program serving 870 students.
  • Committed to fostering equitable learning environments through data-informed decision-making, restorative discipline practices, and authentic family and community engagement.

Professional Experience

Ridgeview Middle School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, NC

Assistant Principal

July 2019 – Present
  • Supervised and evaluated 45 certified teachers using the North Carolina Educator Effectiveness System, achieving 89% "Highly Effective" or "Effective" ratings across all departments.
  • Co-developed and managed a $2.4M campus budget, reallocating $180K toward targeted intervention programs that reduced the achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students by 12 percentage points.
  • Led the school's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, coordinating a team of 8 interventionists and counselors, resulting in a 34% decrease in Tier 3 behavioral referrals over two years.
  • Designed and facilitated 40+ hours of annual professional development focused on differentiated instruction, culturally responsive teaching, and data literacy for instructional staff.
  • Implemented a restorative justice discipline model that reduced out-of-school suspensions by 41% while maintaining a safe and orderly campus environment.
  • Served as principal designee during extended absences, managing daily operations, crisis response, and stakeholder communications for a campus of 870 students.
  • Partnered with PTA leadership and local businesses to launch an after-school mentoring program, enrolling 120 at-risk students and securing $35,000 in community sponsorships.

Westbrook Elementary School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, NC

Department Head, English Language Arts

August 2015 – June 2019
  • Led a team of 11 ELA teachers in curriculum alignment to Common Core State Standards, resulting in a 23% improvement in 3rd–5th grade state reading assessment scores over three years.
  • Coordinated cross-grade-level Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) that met biweekly to analyze formative assessment data and adjust instructional strategies.
  • Authored and secured a $50,000 state literacy grant to establish a campus-wide guided reading library, providing leveled texts for 640 students.
  • Mentored 4 early-career teachers through induction programming, with all four achieving "Proficient" or higher on year-end evaluations.
  • Collaborated with administration to redesign the school's master schedule, increasing dedicated intervention blocks by 30 minutes daily without reducing core instructional time.

Westbrook Elementary School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, NC

Classroom Teacher, 4th Grade

August 2010 – July 2015
  • Delivered differentiated instruction in all core subjects to diverse classrooms of 24–28 students, including English Language Learners and students with Individualized Education Programs.
  • Achieved the highest 4th-grade math proficiency rate in the school for three consecutive years (2012–2015), with 82% of students meeting or exceeding grade-level benchmarks.
  • Piloted a project-based learning model adopted school-wide after demonstrating a 15% increase in student engagement survey scores.
  • Served on the School Improvement Team for four years, contributing to strategic planning, goal setting, and Title I compliance.

Education & Certifications

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

M.Ed. Educational Leadership

2018
  • Concentration: School Administration and Policy
  • Capstone Project: "Building Bridges: Family Engagement Strategies in Title I Middle Schools"

NC Department of Public Instruction

North Carolina School Administrator Principal Certification

2019

Appalachian State University, Boone, NC

B.A. Elementary Education

2010
  • Magna Cum Laude, GPA: 3.8/4.0

Honors

Innovation in School Leadership Grant

North Carolina Education Foundation

2022
  • Awarded $50,000 to develop and pilot a district-wide social-emotional learning framework across 12 campuses, impacting 3,500+ students.
  • Framework adopted by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as a recommended model for all Title I middle schools.

Excellence in Collaborative Leadership

Piedmont Regional Education Cooperative

2021
  • Recognized for leading a cross-functional team of 15 teachers in a comprehensive curriculum redesign initiative.
  • Initiative resulted in a 23% improvement in state assessment scores among participating grade levels.

Publications

Restorative Practices and the Principalship: Moving Beyond Suspension Data

Journal of School Leadership, Vol. 33, Issue 2

2023
Peer-reviewed article examining the impact of restorative discipline on school culture metrics.

Engaging Families as Partners, Not Spectators

Principal Magazine (NAESP)

March 2022
Practitioner-focused article outlining actionable strategies for Title I family engagement.

Professional Development

ASCD Emerging Leaders Program

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

2022–2023

National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) Executive Development Program

NCEE

2021

Cognitive Coaching Seminars Foundation Training

Thinking Collaborative

2020
8-day certification

Trauma-Informed Schools Certification

National Council for Behavioral Health

2020

Bilingual Education Administration Workshop

NC Department of Public Instruction

2019

Skills

  • School Improvement Planning & Strategic Goal Setting
  • Campus Budget Development & Fiscal Management
  • Teacher Evaluation, Coaching & Instructional Leadership
  • Data-Driven Decision-Making & Assessment Analysis
  • Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS/RTI)
  • Restorative Justice & Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBIS)
  • Family & Community Engagement
  • Crisis Management & Emergency Response Planning
  • Master Scheduling & Staffing Optimization
  • Culturally Responsive Leadership
  • Special Education Compliance & IEP Oversight
  • Stakeholder Communication & Conflict Resolution

References

Dr. Patricia Langford

Associate Superintendent, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Relationship: Direct supervisor during Assistant Principal tenure (2019–present)
Can speak to: Budget management, policy implementation, crisis leadership, and campus culture transformation

(704) 612-8834 | [email protected]

Marcus Delaney

Fellow Assistant Principal, Northridge High School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Relationship: Peer administrator and co-facilitator of district leadership cohort (2020–present)
Can speak to: Collaborative problem-solving, strategic planning, and cross-campus initiative coordination

(704) 455-3021 | [email protected]

Angela Torres

7th Grade Science Lead Teacher, Ridgeview Middle School

Relationship: Mentored through National Board Certification process (2021–2022)
Can speak to: Instructional coaching, professional development facilitation, and supportive leadership style

(704) 298-7745 | [email protected]