From staff reports
Andre Whitfield is the new principal for Middleton S. Elliott Elementary School at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. Whitfield will assume his duties on May 9.
“I am looking forward to being part of the Beaufort community,” Whitfield said in a news release. “I firmly believe that it takes everyone — administration, teachers, support staff, parents and the community — working together to help our students meet their goals and exceed our expectations.”
Whitfield brings 16 years of educational experience to DoDEA. He began his educational career in 2005 as a North Carolina teacher, where he taught 7th-grade social studies at Greene County Schools. Whitfield then moved to the N.C Department of Safety’s Juvenile Justice Division where he taught social studies, history and English language arts to middle and high school students.
During his time with Juvenile Justice, Whitfield led the effort to integrate Synergistic Labs — focused on science, technology, engineering and math — into youth development facilities. In 2010, he was named the Juvenile Justice Teacher of the Year.
Beginning in 2011, Whitfield transitioned to educational leadership. He served as an assistant principal at Clinton City Schools and Lenoir County Public Schools, both in North Carolina. He then served as principal for Lenoir County Public Schools at its Lenoir County Learning Academy, Southeast Elementary School and Rochelle Middle School. In 2021, he was appointed as a district administrator, serving in the student services department, where he supported four traditional high schools and one alternative school.
“Mr. Whitfield brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences that will greatly benefit the students and teachers at Elliott Elementary School,” Department of Defense Education Activity Community Superintendent for South Carolina and Fort Stewart Brian Perry said in a news release. “Specifically, his work with professional learning communities, school improvement and tiered interventions for students will be a great asset to our team.”
Whitfield earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Columbia College of Missouri, a master’s in education from American InterContinental University and a master’s of educational administration from the University of Scranton. He currently is seeking his doctorate in education and educational leadership at Liberty University.
Whitfield is a veteran of the United States Navy who formerly served in the N.C. Army National Guard.
DoDEA Americas operates 50 schools in seven states, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. There are two school districts and about 1,835 teachers and 550 educational aides.
