Topsail Annandale Elementary School

It is with great honor and excitement that I write to you as the new principal of Topsail Annandale Elementary, an extraordinary school community.

I grew up in the small town of Pella, IA. I then attended the University of Northern Iowa and received my bachelor’s in Elementary Education with an emphasis in math instruction. Soon after, I moved to Denver, CO where I taught many different elementary grades for 8 years. I then attended the University of Northern Iowa and received my master’s in educational leadership and special education directing. I have since been an instructional coach, special education coordinator, assistant principal, and principal.

I am relocating to the Wilmington area with my husband Tony and our two dogs Jack Daniels and Mako. We are excited to be in the area close to our extended family. In our spare time, we love going to the beach, and trying new restaurants. We also love sports. I am originally from Ohio so my weekends are spent watching the Cincinnati Bengals, The Ohio State Buckeyes, and the Cincinnati Reds. My favorite personal hobby is cracking open a new book.

Topsail Annandale Elementary currently serves grades K-4 and has approximately 635 students and 70+ staff members. We are proud to house two regional Adaptive EC (Special Education) classrooms and are also proud to serve many members of our military community. We love our school and hope that you can sense that the minute you enter "The Nest"! AT TAES, our Ospreys "SOAR"...we show Self-control, we're Organized, we're Always safe, and we are Respectful. We strive for every student to feel safe, loved, and a sense of belonging at our school!

It's a true honor and privilege for us to get to learn and grow with your children! Our staff is passionate about sparking a love for learning in all students! It's our goal to help every student find success throughout their school day. We truly believe that "You Belong Here".... We invite you to come SOAR with us!

Leigh Gates has been Assistant Principal at Topsail Annandale Elementary School since August 2018.

A native of Massachusetts, Leigh has called the Wilmington area home since 2000. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. After transitioning to the world of education, she earned her Masters and Doctoral degrees at UNCW. She started in the field of special education and has brought that experience with her into the various roles of Research Assistant and Course Instructor at UNCW, MTSS Liaison for NHCS, and Administrator for NHCS & PCS.

She and her husband now live in the Hampstead area with their two children who attend PCS. While her family doesn't always appreciate her punny sense of humor, they laugh along with her at least. She has a very spoiled yellow lab named Cody.

She is committed to helping young Ospreys SOAR.