Russellville Independent Schools would like to take a moment to share several administrative personnel changes that are happening in our district as we head into the last few weeks of the 2020-21 school year. Spring is a time of change across just about every school district in Kentucky and we are excited to share the news of several internal administrative promotions within our district as well as honor the retirement of a beloved Panther administrator.
Stevenson Elementary Principal Robin Cornelius will be taking on a new role at the Central Office in 2021-22, as she becomes the district’s new Director of Pupil Personnel. Mrs. Cornelius has been with Russellville since 2013 when she started as the Assistant Principal at Stevenson Elementary School. After working as an assistant principal and as a district Literacy Coach, she was chosen as the Principal of Stevenson Elementary in March 2017.
Russellville High School Principal Ben Bruni will be joining Mrs. Cornelius at the RISD Central Office as the district’s new Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund /Safe Schools Director. Mr. Bruni has been with Russellville Independent for the past four years, serving as the middle and high school Principal from 2017-2019, and as the High School Principal from 2019 to present.
Both Stevenson Elementary and Russellville High School have begun the process of the search for their next principal. Both positions will be selected by the Site Based Decision Making Councils (SBDM) of each school in conjunction with the superintendent. Mrs. Cornelius and Mr. Bruni will begin their new roles on July 1.
One principal role that has been filled is Russellville Middle School where Ms. Cassie Reding was selected by the RMS SBDM this past April after serving in an interim capacity since Jan. 1of this year. Ms. Reding has been with Russellville Independent Schools since 2014 when she started as a 5th Grade Teacher at Stevenson Elementary. Mrs. Reding has worked in RISD as a coach, teacher, Literacy Coach, district-level Instructional Leader, and now as the Principal of Russellville Middle School.
As the school year draws to a close, so closes the career of a long-standing Panther. Russellville’s own Mrs. Kim McDaniel will retire this coming September with 27 years in the Russellville Independent School District. Mrs. McDaniel, who currently serves as the district’s Director of Pupil Personnel, has worn many hats in her time in Russellville.
Mrs. McDaniel began her career as a Science teacher at Russellville Middle School before becoming a district Curriculum Coordinator. She was then selected as Principal of Russellville Middle and High School, where she served in that capacity from 2012-2017. She left RJSHS to take over her role as DPP for RISD and has been instrumental in guiding the district through the past 14 months of unprecedented challenges.
Mrs. McDaniel leaves behind a legacy of excellence and truly exemplifies what it means to be a life-long Panther.