LONOKE — For the first time in many years, Lonoke schools will have three new principals in place when the 2019-20 school year starts in August.
Terrod Hatcher is the new Lonoke High School principal. He replaces Marc Sherrell, who was hired as an assistant superintendent for the Searcy School District.
Matt Binford is the new elementary-school principal. He replaces Karen Gibbs, who was moved to the central office and is in charge of federal programs.
Dean Campbell is the new primary-school principal. He replaces Amanda Rather, who was promoted to assistant superintendent.
Lonoke Superintendent John Tackett said he’s pleased with the hiring of all three.
“All three principals are well-prepared for their respective leadership positions,” Tackett said. “I’m excited about them assuming their new roles in the Lonoke Public School District. They have a passion for student learning and have the technical and interpersonal skills to be successful.
“We are thrilled to have them on board.”
Terrod Hatcher
Hatcher, 32, comes to Lonoke after teaching and coaching in the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District, as well as the Pulaski County Special School District.
Hatcher was serving as assistant principal at Jacksonville High School, a position he’s held the past three years, following Jacksonville breaking away from the Pulaski County Special district. He started his administrative career at North Pulaski High School during the 2015-16 school year.
Hatcher is a 2005 graduate of Jacksonville High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and a master’s degree from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
He coached football at both North Pulaski and Jacksonville, as well as track at Jacksonville. He also taught all levels of math, from pre-algebra to calculus, before becoming an administrator.
Hatcher said becoming a lead principal is something he wanted to do at some point in his career, and God led him down that path to Lonoke.
“It wasn’t something, initially, that I wanted to do,” he said, referring to coming to Lonoke. “The way God set things up, it was something that God set on my heart. It’s a smaller town. They love each other. They have that friendly atmosphere here in Lonoke. It was something I was looking for if I ever became a lead principal.
“I wanted something that felt like home.”
Hatcher said he and some other administrators were talking about their dream schools, and he said Lonoke and Carlisle were on that list.
“Then we ended up moving to Lonoke County for some reason,” he said. “It just so happens that this job popped open, and it’s just where God wanted me to be. It wasn’t something that I was planning for.
“I know it was in God’s plan. I’m extremely excited to be here.”
Hatcher and his wife, Nicole, have two sons — Malik, 9, and Miles,
18 months. Nicole Hatcher is a 2006 graduate of Lonoke High School.
While Hatcher and the other administrators went on contract Monday, he’s been busy getting ready for the upcoming school year.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “I’ve been welcomed with open arms. Everyone has helped as much as they can, with the transition being smooth. It’s a very friendly atmosphere here, very close-knit.”
Hatcher said he’s met with different pastors and groups in the area.
“I’m just excited and enthusiastic about Lonoke and moving forward,” he said. “I’m glad I’m a part of that.”
Matt Binford
Binford, 53, comes to Lonoke from the North Little Rock Academy, an alternative-learning school for students in grades six through 12 in the North Little Rock School District.
Binford was born and raised in Indiana before graduating from high school in south Florida. He attended Harding University in Searcy, where he met his wife, Ellen. He was a girls basketball coach in Pahokee, Florida, working in Palm Beach County for 10 years as a teacher and administrator.
The Binfords moved to North Little Rock, where Ellen is from, and Matt Binford was a teacher at Sherwood Elementary School in the Pulaski County Special School District.
He was also the director of education at Rivendell Behavioral Health Services of Arkansas. He oversaw things at the five Rivendell schools across the state, as well as the hospital.
Binford was an assistant principal at Indian Hills Elementary School in North Little Rock before working the past six years at the North Little Rock Academy.
Binford said his friendship with Campbell helped pique his interest in the Lonoke job.
“I’ve known Dean for 17 years,” he said. “He’s a personal friend, and I knew we’d be competitive against each other. Both of us want to win. When the primary school wins, we win here at the elementary school because he is going to send us some really great kids.”
Binford said he was also impressed with Lonoke Superintendent John Tackett.
“I looked at the demographics of the school, and I know I could make a difference,” Binford said. “I was excited about the opportunity. Then I met with the rest of the team. I’m just excited about it.”
Binford holds a master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Binford said the staff at the elementary school has been open to changes.
“I’ve been incredibly impressed with the openness of my new staff,” he said. “It’s the excitement of a new year and kind of a fresh start for everybody.”
He said he wants to collaborate with Campbell at the primary school.
“They have some really good things going on, and we want to continue that,” he said.
Binford said his motto is ‘together growing minds and making memories.”
It comes from his mother-in-law, Dean Wingfield, who was a principal. She died last year.
“This is my ode to her,” Binford said. “Instead of focusing on change, because everyone hates the change work, we’re focusing on growing. We’re going to be all about creating a culture and teamwork, togetherness and a common focus and a common bond.”
Dean Campbell
Campbell, 49, has been in the Lonoke School District for 13 years. He was hired for the 2006-07 school year as middle-school physical-education teacher, junior boys basketball head coach and junior high football assistant coach.
Campbell was promoted to head basketball coach following the 2009 season, when Wes Swift left for Jonesboro High school. Campbell has served as a dean of students for eight years, including the last six at the primary school. He also served one year each at the high school and middle school.
Campbell is originally from Kansas. He earned an associate degree from Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas. He has a master’s degree from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, and master’s in building-level administration from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
“We moved to Arkansas 17 years ago,” he said. “My wife, Deanna, is originally from Jacksonville. It was time to come home, so we made the move here.”
Both Campbells coached two years at Central Arkansas Christian in North Little Rock. Dean Campbell coached in the Pulaski County School District for two years before coming to Lonoke.
He’s been in coaching and teaching for 26 years and involved in basketball in some form or fashion for 40 years.
“It’s going to be an interesting journey without it for right now,” he said. “I’m still going to be involved in the Arkansas Basketball Coaches Association. I’m very active in it. I have some things I do with it. I’m not going to be totally away from basketball.”
Campbell became a dean of students after getting an invitation to lunch about eight years ago from then LHS principal Phynaus Wilson and assistant principal Mark Hobson, who was moving to maintenance.
“I should have known there was a catch when Coach Hobson and
Mr. Wilson asked me to go to lunch one day,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to step into that role of dean of students at the high school when he first moved into the new building. It was something I enjoyed being a part of. Then it’s been a natural progression.”
Campbell said he looks forward to being principal at the primary school.
“I can’t express how much I love this age group and being able to watch these kids develop,” he said. “Hopefully, I’m a male role model for them that not everyone gets to have.”
The Campbells have two daughters — Regan, 20, and Rylie, 16.
Staff writer Mark Buffalo can be reached at (501) 399-3676 or mbuffalo@arkansasonline.com.