New Lower School Director named at Christ Church Episcopal School
October 19, 2016
CCES announced today that David Johnstone has accepted the position as the next Lower School Director at CCES. His tenure officially begins on July 1, 2016. He replaces Denise Pearsall, who will retire at the end of this school year after serving 19 years in her position as Lower School Director and 29 years at the school.
“David Johnstone emerged from a quartet of strong finalists as an outstanding educator to lead our exceptional Lower School,” said Dr. Leonard Kupersmith, CCES Headmaster.
In accepting the position, David expressed his optimism and appreciation of the CCES community stating;
“It is with great excitement and humility that I accept this new opportunity as Lower School Director. I am looking forward to meeting and working with the talented and committed staff and getting to know the children and parents of this vibrant and committed community. It is an honor to serve all of you and together, we will continue the student centered excellence that is the fabric of Christ Church Episcopal School.”
David Johnstone has served as a school principal for the past nineteen years. He began his principalships at Fork Shoals Elementary School, where he served from 1997-2005, and moved subsequently into his current position as principal of Sterling School-Charles Townes Center, a community of 850 students in K-4 through 8th grade. Arriving in its third year, David developed the Charles Townes Center, an innovative, accelerated program for 450 gifted students in 3rd grade through 8th grade. Collaterally, he instituted the Sterling Program, a project/inquiry based instructional program of choice for 420 students from the Nicholtown community and Greenville County.
David took his undergraduate education at the College of Charleston and completed a Master’s of Education in Administration and Supervision at Clemson University. He has completed two design thinking programs at Stanford, the Danforth Leadership Institute, and the Diversity Leaders Initiative sponsored by the Riley Institute at Furman University. David has been an active citizen, serving on the following boards: Phyllis Wheatley Center, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, Greenville Forward, and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Day School in Clemson. He also has served on the vestry of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Clemson.
About Christ Church Episcopal School:
Located in Greenville, SC, Christ Church Episcopal School is a co-ed, independent day school in the Episcopal tradition, serving over 1,100 students in grades Primer(K5) through Grade Twelve. Founded in 1959, CCES offers individual attention and extraordinary opportunities in academics, service, the arts, athletics, and spiritual life.
For more information, visit www.cces.org.
