ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. (Romero Report) — Dennis Paschal has been appointed the new principal of Wentworth Elementary School, Rockingham County Schools said in a news release.

Paschal, a lifelong native of Wentworth, has served as the assistant principal at the school since 2021.

“Wentworth runs in my blood. How many educators get the privilege to be both the assistant principal and the principal at the school they attended?” Paschal said.

He attended the old K-8 Wentworth School through seventh grade until Rockingham County Middle School opened in 1999.

After graduating from Rockingham County High School, Paschal earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Appalachian State University.

He began his career in education as a social studies teacher.

In 2016, Paschal was selected to be part of the first Principal Preparation for Excellence and Equity in Rural Schools (PPEERS) cohort at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he earned a master’s degree in school administration in 2018, the release said.

During the PPEERS program, he completed a year-long administrative internship at Western Rockingham Middle School and then served as the assistant principal at Holmes Middle School before joining Wentworth in the fall of 2021.

“Wentworth has a dedicated, hardworking staff, amazing students, and supportive parents in a wonderful, close-knit community,” Paschal said. “I look forward to working with my outstanding Assistant Principal, Ms. Meredith Staley, to join with our stakeholders to guide our students to be successful lifelong learners.”

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