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Isle of Wight County Schools, on Feb. 17, announced a series of central office personnel changes that will take effect at the start of the 2022-23 school year.

The changes align with a new hierarchy Superintendent Dr. Jim Thornton proposed — and the county’s School Board approved — in December, which calls for the elimination of all executive director positions.

Susan Goetz will become the school system’s new deputy superintendent, placing her second in line to Thornton under the revised hierarchy. She will succeed Assistant Superintendent Mike Lombardo, who plans to retire at the end of the current school year.

Goetz’s current executive director of leadership role will be split into two positions: a director of elementary instruction and a director of secondary instruction.

Dr. Tracy Stith-Johnson of Prince Edward County Public Schools will be joining Isle of Wight as its new director of elementary instruction. Johnson holds a doctorate in education from Virginia State University, as well as a master’s degree in elementary and middle school education and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies, both from Old Dominion University. In her current role with Prince Edward County, she serves as federal programs coordinator, and coordinator of teaching and learning.

Dr. Marsha Cale, Isle of Wight’s current director of curriculum and professional development, will become the school system’s new director of secondary instruction. She previously served as an assistant principal at Smithfield and Windsor high schools, and was later named principal of Westside Elementary School before moving to Isle of Wight’s central office. She has a doctorate in educational leadership from Old Dominion University, a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, also in educational leadership, and a bachelor’s degree from Longwood University in liberal studies.

Todd Christiansen, who currently serves as Isle of Wight’s interim director of support services, will become the department’s permanent director. He holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Old Dominion University, a bachelor’s degree from Mary Washington College in business administration, and a postgraduate professional license with endorsements in administration, supervision and middle education mathematics. He is a former assistant principal for Georgie D. Tyler Middle School and Smithfield High School, and a former principal at Westside Elementary and Smithfield Middle School.