After serving for the past six years as the athletic director at C.E. Jordan High School in Durham, Shelba Levins has been hired as the school’s fourth assistant principal, a position that was created as the school undergoes the construction of the new building.
“The district provided us with a fourth assistant principal to provide our school with additional support during the construction project,” Principal Charles Blanchard wrote in an email.
Levins, who started her job in early November, will oversee the health and physical education and world languages departments, clubs, parking and facilities.
Levins grew up in Oak Hill, West Virginia and lived there until she came to North Carolina to attend at Campbell University. Levins earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management with a minor in business, as well as a master’s in education, from Campbell University. She also completed her post master’s certification in school administration from Western Carolina University and is a certified master athletic administrator.
Sports always played a role in Levins’s life. In high school, she played basketball and softball, in addition to playing in the school band.
“I always felt like sports are important to the student as a whole,” she said.
Levins started teaching because she knew the importance of teaching and the effect it has on the younger generation.
“I feel like teaching is important to everybody,” she said. “I thought it was a great way to impact young people.”
Levins also had inspiration from her health and physical education teacher.
“Growing up, I loved my health and physical education teacher. He was amazing,” Levins said. “He really inspired me to take on this career.”
In her first three years of teaching, Levins worked at Western Harnett Middle School in Lillington and coached soccer and volleyball; she also coached girls’ basketball at Western Harnett High School.
Levins said she wanted to come to Chapel Hill High School because of its academic and athletic reputation.
“I was really interested in coming to Chapel Hill because this is an amazing school,” Levins said. “It’s one of the top academic schools in the state of North Carolina and also has one of the top athletic programs.”
Levins said she is excited about her new role here at the high school.
“When you’re in a leadership position, it’s usually pretty good for about five or six years, and then it’s good to make a transition to something different or a different place,” she said.
Levins said her first weeks on the job have created quite the impression.
“I think it’s a great place. I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve seen in the classrooms with what the teachers are doing with the students,” she said.