Rockingham County Schools Announces LaRinda Neal as the next principal of Douglass Elementary School Rockingham County Schools is pleased to announce Ms. LaRinda Redd Neal has been selected as the next principal of Douglass Elementary School in Eden, North Carolina. She will start her new role on July 1, 2025.
Ms. Neal’s journey in education began over 22 years ago when she was hired as a Phonological Awareness Literacy Screener (PALS) at her children’s school. This humble start sparked a love for teaching that has guided her career.
"Not only did I enjoy making sure my two sons were at the top of their class, but I also had the same desire to instill a growth mindset, which included confidence, a sense of worth, and a love for learning within every student that I encountered," Neal shared.
After seeing great success in her first education-related role, she knew working with students was her calling and enrolled at Greensboro College, to pursue a teaching degree. Ms. Neal began her teaching career in Rockingham County Schools, where she served as a first-grade teacher at Douglass Elementary. Her relationship-driven style, collaborative nature, commitment to her own development, enabled her students to consistently exceed expected growth standards.
After earning her Master of School Administration degree through the Principal Preparation for Excellence and Equity in Rural Schools (PPEERS) program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Ms. Neal served as a Principal Intern at Rockingham County Middle School and Dillard Elementary. During this internship period she saw the power of building meaningful relationships and creating a safe, nurturing environment that inspires everyone to reach their full potential, a philosophy that guides her today.
Following her internship, Ms. Neal served as an Assistant Principal at Rockingham County High School for three years, earning the honor of being named as Rockingham County’s 2024 Assistant Principal of the Year. Ms. Neal is excited to return to the Douglass Elementary family, where her Rockingham County classroom journey began. She proudly says, “Coming full circle to serve is a true privilege.”