I am in my 31st year overall as an educator. 2021 is my 14th year as a high school principal and my 5th year with Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools. I began my career as a Mathematics teacher at Mt. Vernon Middle School in Wake County before transitioning to the Community College teaching Mathematics.  I returned to Public School in Craven County when I was asked to help design and implement an Early College High School, for which I became the principal.  I have been a high school principal ever since, have attended Barton College, Arkansas State University, and am currently working to finish up my Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Fayetteville State University.  My passion has always been to serve students, as you can see in the picture.  I absolutely love being a Gryphon and working with the faculty, staff, and students at Rocky Mount High School.

I am a proud graduate of Morehead Senior High school in Eden, NC.  Upon graduation from high school in 1993, I attended Shaw University in Raleigh, NC majoring in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology with a minor in Special Education. In 2008, I received M.Ed in Administration and Supervision from Liberty University. My teaching experience has been in both the traditional educational setting as well as the alternative educational school setting.  Counties in which I've been employed have been Durham County, Johnston County, and Wake County.  Employment with Nash County in 2017 started my administrative career path as an Assistant Principal at Rocky Mount High School.

"If you can’t fly run. If you can’t run walk. If you can’t walk crawl. But by all means, keep moving.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

Ms. Charis Whitaker-Saunders was born in Halifax County, NC. She is a graduate of Southeast Halifax High School. Upon graduating high school she attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, later transferred to North Carolina Wesleyan College, and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Ms. Saunders later pursued and obtained a Master of Education degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University and a school administration add-on licensure from Gardner-Webb University.

 While working in the field of education, Ms. Saunders has taught 9th-12th grade business education courses with Career and Technical Education. She has served as an administrative assistant at Weldon High School before beginning her teaching career at Southeast Halifax High School and continuing at Rocky Mount High School. Her first administrative assignment was at Northern Nash High School as Assistant Principal. Ms. Saunders has been in education for 16 years and has a passion for youth to help them become successful citizens while supporting teachers.

 She is the proud mother of two children: daughter Chaterria and son Terrance Jr. Ms. Saunders enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends and traveling. She loves supporting her students at events and extracurricular activities.

 "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." – Helen Keller #TEAM