Administration
I am excited to serve the students, staff, and families of Robert L. Patton High School. I began my education career as a substitute teacher and basketball coach in Winston-Salem Forsyth County schools in 1993. My first full time teaching position was at Hickory High as a social studies teacher in 1995 where I coached basketball, baseball and cross country. I moved to Newton-Conover HS in 2000 to teach and coach the varsity boys basketball team. In 2003 I began my career in administration at South Newton Elementary. Since 2006 I've worked in Burke County and have served as the principal at Hallyburton, Drexel, Rutherford College and Hillcrest Elementaries. I also served as the Principal at Heritage Middle School and later spent ten years at the central office where I was the director of Testing and Accountability.
I have degrees from Wake Forest, Winston-Salem State, and Appalachian State where I earned a masters, an Ed. S degree and a doctorate in educational leadership. I have been married to my wife Marissa for 28 years and we have two children together. My daughter Ellie coaches lacrosse at Gardner Webb University while my son Britt plays lacrosse and is working on his MBA at Coker University. They are 24 and 22 respectively. My hobbies mostly include watching my kids compete. I have been a member of Corinth Reformed Church in Hickory for over 20 years where I have served as a deacon and sing in the choir.
My father taught elementary and middle grades for 33 years. He is a great man and instilled in me a desire to be an educator. I loved teaching and still miss it. That is probably why I enjoy working with kids and getting involved in classroom lessons. I look forward to meeting your children as they stretch their minds each day in the classrooms, as they perform music in chorus and band, as they create art in various mediums, and as they compete in the gym and on the athletic fields.
I am very honored for the board to have selected me as your next principal. As you know, Patton is a high performing school as evidenced by the high graduation rate, excellent School Performance Grade, and high Advanced Placement passage rates. I can't wait to start working with you to make it even better. You will see a lot of me around campus. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I may not always give you the answer you were hoping for, but I promise that you will be heard. Go Panthers!
email: rrumbaugh@burke.k12.nc.us
Ross Rumbaugh, Ed.D
Principal, Robert L. Patton High School
Burke County Public Schools
