WCPSS names Principal, Assistant Principal of the Year

The Wake County Public School System named its 2026-27 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year on Thursday.

Roxann Sykes of Dillard Drive Magnet Elementary School was named Principal of the Year. Xavier Wallace-McGrew of South Garner High School was named Assistant Principal of the Year.

Sykes has served as principal of Dillard Drive Magnet Elementary since 2019. She was named WCPSS Assistant Principal of the Year in 2018 and has held teaching and administrative positions across Wake County, including at Fuquay-Varina Elementary and Bugg Magnet Elementary schools.

Under her leadership, Dillard Drive Magnet Elementary received the Magnet School of Excellence Award from Magnet Schools of America in 2024 and 2025, according to WCPSS.

“I am most proud of transitioning Dillard Drive into a thriving magnet school with the programs we have today," Sykes said. "The joy that I see in the classrooms is largely because of our magnet theme, and I’m super proud of being able to lead that transition."

Wallace-McGrew has served as assistant principal at South Garner High School since 2019. Before joining WCPSS, he worked in educational and administrative roles in Durham County.

WCPSS said South Garner High School has seen significant academic growth under Wallace-McGrew's leadership. 97% of students exceeded academic growth expectations last school year.

"What I'm most looking forward to is the opportunity for us to get over the hump from being a C school to becoming a B school,” Wallace-McGrew said. “I want to make sure that our students are well equipped to enter the real world and be strong, productive citizens.”