Dr. Jennifer Hardin named Principal of RCMS.
Dr. Jennifer Hardin - Principal RCMS
Dr. Hardin will begin at RCMS for the 2024-2025 school year.
Dr. Jennifer M. Hardin attended UNCG on the NC Teaching Fellows Scholarship before beginning her career in education. She taught 7th grade math in Guilford County Schools where she was named the “Rookie Teacher of the Year” in 2005 and also the “Secondary Rookie Teacher of the Year”. This award gave her a full scholarship to complete her Master’s Degree at UNCG where she majored in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus in Middle Grades Mathematics. In 2006, she was recognized by UNCG as a School of Education Early Career award winner. Dr. Hardin worked at UNCG as the Master Teacher in Residence on a one year appointment with the Office of Recruitment and Retention for the School of Education in 2008-2009. She also completed her Post Master’s Certificate in School Administration at UNCG and completed her Advanced Learner Certification from High Point University in 2009. In December of 2010, she achieved her National Board Certification in Early Adolescence Mathematics.
Dr. Hardin joined Rockingham County Schools as an Assistant Principal at Huntsville Elementary School in August 2011 and served there for 3 years. Dr. Hardin continued her education at UNCG graduating with her Educational Specialist Degree in 2012. She was named the Principal of Wentworth Elementary School and has served there for the past 10 years. Under her leadership, Wentworth Elementary has exceeded growth each year since 2017. Wentworth was recognized as 12th in the state for highest growth among all elementary schools during the 17-18 school year. Wentworth has also been recognized for being in the top 10% in the state for highest growth for 3 school years and a PTEC Signature School.
In 2019, Dr. Hardin graduated from UNCG with her Doctor of Education degree and renewed her National Board Certification. In March 2020, she completed a rigorous year-long Distinguished Leadership in Practice with the NC Principal and Assistant Principals Association.
Most recently, she was named the Rockingham County Schools Principal of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year.
Dr. Hardin and her husband, Josh, have a son named Ben and a daughter named Grace. She values time with her family and has a lot of fun watching Auburn football games, walking their dog, playing outside and visiting family in both Mississippi and Alabama.
“I am excited to get back to my roots of middle school education and look forward to continuing the great traditions and academics that are already in place at Rockingham County Middle School.”
Mrs. Kristin Nuckles - Assistant Principal RCMS
Mrs. Kristin Nuckles attended UNC Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for her undergraduate degree. She graduated summa cum laude in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education. Her areas of concentration were English Language Arts (grades 6-9) and English as a Second Language. She has taught 6th and 7th ELA, as well as 6th grade Social Studies. In 2022, she participated in a rigorous selection process to be recommended as a North Carolina Principal Fellow through the Principal Preparation for Excellence and Equity in Rural Schools Program (PPEERS). She graduated summa cum laude with her Masters of School Administration in 2024. She has happily served as the Assistant Principal at Rockingham County Middle School since the fall of 2023, and looks forward to many more years as a Jag!
Mrs. Nuckles and her husband, Jacob, enjoy spending time with their precious baby girl, Rory Kate, and their two dogs, Lyla and Sadie Mae. In her spare time, you can find Mrs. Nuckles reading a good book, spending time with friends and family, or enjoying some fun in the sun!