Derrick Fairbotham joins Concord Ox Bow as assistant principal
May 14—ELKHART — Derrick Fairbotham was announced as new assistant principal of Concord Ox Bow Elementary School following a unanimous vote by the Concord School Board on May 6. He will assume his new role on July 1.
Fairbotham will replace outgoing Assistant Principal Julie Dawson who plans to retire at the end of the 2023-2024 school year after 28 years of dedicated service.
Fairbotham comes to Concord after many years in the Penn Harris Madison School Corporation. He began his career as a fifth-grade teacher at Horizon Elementary and then at Elsie Rogers Elementary. He transitioned into the role of dean of students at Penn High School, and most recently served as the assistant to the principal at Elm Road Elementary.
Throughout his teaching career, he has embraced roles as a coach and mentor. In these roles he committed to fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, all while impacting the lives of students.
"I am eager to bring my experiences and dedication to education to the Concord community where I know we will work together to continue finding success for all," he said.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree as well as a Master of Science in Educational Leadership, both from Western Governors University. Fairbotham has been accepted to Purdue University where he plans to continue his education to earn a PhD.
"We are excited to welcome Derrick to Ox Bow," said Concord Ox Bow Elementary Principal Carrie Garber. "He is passionate about building relationships with students and has such a positive attitude. Derrick will be an excellent addition to the Ox Bow team."
