Hill in familiar territory as LCPS’s EC director

An educator who has spent more than 20 years serving special needs students in Lenoir County Public Schools is the new director of the district’s Exceptional Children Department.

Julie Hill of Deep Run was appointed to the post Monday night by the Lenoir County Board of Education, acting on the recommendation of Superintendent Brent Williams.

The job is familiar territory for Hill. She worked as the department’s assistant director for five years before taking over as interim director in January after the retirement of Vivian Roach.

Prior to moving into district administration, she was an EC teacher at Pink Hill Elementary School and an EC program compliance specialist.

“I am very excited about this opportunity and grateful to Mr. Williams and the board of education for the confidence they’ve shown in me,” Hill said after Williams announced her promotion.

As director, Hill will supervise a staff of 165 EC teachers and assistants, compliance specialists, school psychologists, speech therapists and other specialists who work with the more than a thousand LCPS students identified as having special needs.

Short term, her goal for the department is ensuring those needs are met.

“An important focus for EC is to start with the child, to meet their developmental needs, work closely with parents and the human resources department to recruit and retain the best teachers and support staff and work collaboratively with all administrators,” Hill said.

Long term, she aspires to lead a department known for the quality of its work.

“I would like our EC department to be respected across the district and state as an exemplary program,” she said.

A native of Lenoir County, Hill holds an associate of science degree from Lenoir Community College, a bachelor of science degree in education from ECU and a master of school administration and curriculum specialist degree from ECU. She has also completed the Exceptional Children Program Directors Leadership Institute offered by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

She and her husband, Jeff, have two grown children, Gavin and Carley.