Team New Kent Talks | Episode 21: Listening and Learning, and Then, Leading: Meet Our New Directors

Welcome back to Team New Kent Talks, the official podcast of New Kent County Public Schools, hosted by Superintendent Dr. Brian J. Nichols! In this exciting episode, we're introducing two outstanding educators who have recently stepped into division-level leadership roles here at NKCPS. Dr. Nichols sits down with Dr. Trenice Durio, our new Director of Student Services, and Ms. Candice Welch, our new Director of Instruction. Dr. Durio joins us from the York County School Division, where she served as Coordinator of Special Education, bringing a deep background in special education and administrative leadership that makes her uniquely equipped to champion our students and strengthen student services across the division. Ms. Welch also comes to us from YCSD, where she most recently served as the principal of Queens Lake Middle School—but she's no stranger to New Kent, having previously served as a math specialist for our New Kent Middle School Lions. Her 18 years of experience in education, spanning classroom teaching, curriculum leadership, and school administration, make her the perfect fit to lead our instructional team forward. Together, they share their educational backgrounds, what drew them to these new roles at NKCPS, their top priorities for the school year, and their visions for what strong instruction and comprehensive student support look like in practice. They also give our community a chance to get to know them a little beyond the office—because great leaders are more than their titles. Whether you're a teacher, a parent/guardian, or a community member, this episode offers an inside look at the dedicated professionals who are shaping the future of learning and student support right here in New Kent County. Subscribe to our channel for more stories highlighting the incredible students, staff, and programs that make NKCPS #AGreatPlacetoLearn. Let's continue to engage, empower, and elevate together, #TeamNewKent! ‪@briannichols9785‬