The Shadow
LOW MOOR — The Alleghany Highlands School Board has approved the appointment of Cynthia Morgan as director of instruction.
Morgan was appointed during a called meeting on May 12 as part of a broader central office restructuring aimed at streamlining operations, improving efficiency, and strengthening instructional leadership across the division.
Morgan is currently the principal of Jeter-Watson Elementary School. She was appointed as principal during a restructuring that occurred during the consolidation of Covington City Schools, Alleghany County Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center. Alleghany Highlands Public Schools was created through the consolidation.
While at Jeter-Watson, Morgan focused on improving instruction and building a positive, supportive environment for both staff and students.
“Mrs. Morgan has been an effective and steady leader as principal. She has focused on improving instruction, supporting teachers, and creating a positive environment for students and staff. That experience, combined with her passion and infectious energy focused on her profession, will serve her well as she steps into this division wide role,” said School Board Chair Jon Lanford.
Morgan has worked in public education since 1997. She began her career as a kindergarten teacher with the Rockingham County Consolidated School System in Eden, N.C. In 1998, she was hired to teach first grade at Boiling Spring Elementary School in Alleghany County. Morgan transferred to Callaghan Elementary School in 2004, where she taught fourth and fifth-grade language arts, fifth-grade language arts and math, kindergarten, first grade, and fourth grade.
She was named a shared assistant principal at Mountain View Elementary School and Clifton Middle School in 2011. Morgan became an assistant principal at Mountain View in 2013 and served in that role until joining Covington City Schools in 2016 after being named principal at Edgemont Primary School. She served as principal at Edgemont from 2016 until the creation of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools, when she was appointed principal at Jeter-Watson Elementary School.
Morgan graduated from Alleghany High School in 1993 and from Concord University in 1997. She earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Virginia in 2008 and received an endorsement in K-12 administration and supervision from James Madison University in 2010.
Morgan has also completed the University of Virginia’s SCOPE program (Statewide Communities of Practice for Excellence), a two-year leadership pipeline program. Participants are chosen for SCOPE because they’ve already shown strong performance in school leadership and are being prepared for broader division-level roles.
In her new role as director of instruction, she will oversee division wide academic programs and work to strengthen consistency in teaching and learning across all schools.
The appointment is part of a broader central office restructuring that aims to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and strengthen leadership across the division. The restructuring also reduces the number of central office administrator positions.
“Overall, this restructuring is designed to make our central office more efficient while ensuring strong leadership in both operations and instruction,” Lanford said. “These changes will position the division to better support schools and focus resources where they are needed most.”
In March, Dwayne Ross was named chief of teaching, learning and support, and Shannon Fuhrman was appointed chief of administrative services. Ross currently serves as director of secondary instruction, while Fuhrman is director of instruction and director of technology.
Morgan will begin her new role July 1 as the division continues implementing these restructuring changes aimed at strengthening instruction and supporting student learning across all schools.
