At their regular business session on April 20, the Jackson County Board of Education voted unanimously to approve Holly Whisnant as the new principal for Cullowhee Valley School. Whisnant, a Sylva native and the current assistant principal at Fairview School, will replace Kathryn Kantz who has served as the school’s principal for the past 11 years.
Whisnant is in her 19th year with Jackson County Public Schools and has worked at Fairview as either a National Board Certified Teacher or an administrator all but one year when she completed an assistant principal internship at Blue Ridge School and Blue Ridge Early College.
“I am truly going to miss my Fairview family and the relationships I built there, but I am very excited about joining the Cullowhee Valley family and continuing the success they have built,” Whisnant said.
Superintendent Dr. Dana Ayers said the interview committee was impressed by Whisnant’s leadership skills and her commitment to JCPS throughout many years of service.
“Holly is a wonderful addition to our school leadership teams. She is focused on academic progress and the success of all children,” Ayers said.
Whisnant has a Bachelor of Science in horticulture degree from Clemson University and a Bachelor of Science in elementary education degree from Western Carolina University. She has a Master of Science in Education degree from Walden University and a Post Masters Certificate in administration from WCU.
She will finish the current year at Fairview School and then move to Cullowhee Valley for the 2022-23 school year.
