About New Salem Elementary
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About Our School
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New Salem Elementary serves kindergarten to fifth-grade students and is located in Marshville. While we are small, we are mighty. We are thriving and developing leaders.
- Address: New Salem Elementary, 6106 Hwy 205, Marshville, NC 28103
- Phone: 704-296-3175
- Fax: 704-385-8554
- Staff Directory
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- Mission: Growing every Knight. Every day.
- Vision: New Salem empowers Knights to be innovative individuals, effective problem-solvers, and successful communicators by maintaining nurturing relationships within a safe, positive learning environment.
Piedmont Cluster Attendance Maps
Fast Facts
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- Traditional Calendar
- Start Bell: 7:30 a.m.
- End Bell: 2 p.m.
- Mascot: Knights
- Colors: Teal and black
School History
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In the year 1925, seven different school districts, most of which were one-teacher schools, voted for a special school tax. In 1926, a 12-room brick school building, known as New Salem, was opened as the result of the consolidation of the seven school districts. The school opened its first year with three high school teachers.
Mr. J.E. Griffin was the first principal and served in this capacity for eight years. He succeeded in getting the school on an accredited list very soon.
In 1937, Olive Branch Elementary School was discontinued. Students from that area were consolidated with New Salem School in the summer of 1937, both elementary and high school students.
In 1949, the New Salem School building, which had been occupied for the first time in 1926, was declared unsafe. Temporary classrooms for elementary classes were then set up in two churches near the school grounds. The high school continued to have classes on the school grounds in a new brick building that was added to the school grounds in 1938 and a wooden frame building that housed the Home Economics and Agricultural Departments.
As soon as possible, a new modern school was erected at the same site of the condemned building. The new building was occupied in 1951.
New Salem's first and only gymnasium was also erected in 1951. This was done by the aid and labor of interested patrons of the community.
New Salem added a commercial department in the year 1938. Mr. M.B. Liles was the principal of the school at that time.
This school was known as New Salem High School until 1960, when the high school students, along with the two other high schools in the county consolidated, forming what is now Piedmont High School.
What was once New Salem High School is now New Salem Elementary School.
Meet Our School Leaders
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Keitha Rodden (Principal)
About Mrs. Rodden
Ms. Rodden was named principal of New Salem Elementary in July 2025. She is in her 14th year as a school administrator and loves working with students, teachers, and parents.
Ms. Rodden obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from Western Carolina University in 2001. She obtained her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Wingate University in 2010.
Prior to becoming an administrator, Ms. Rodden taught sixth-grade math for two years before obtaining her license in special education. She then taught special education for eight years at both the middle school and elementary school levels. Ms. Rodden lives in Union County with her husband and two daughters.
Contact Ms. Rodden
- Email: keitha.rodden@ucps.k12.nc.us
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Kerry Plyler (Assistant Principal)
About Ms. Plyler
My name is Kerry Plyler and I am the new Assistant Principal at New Salem Elementary. I have already felt so welcome here, and I cannot wait to get to know the students, families, and community even more. I am a Union County native and attended Prospect Elementary, Parkwood Middle, and Parkwood High School. My husband (James) and I met in the 6th grade at Parkwood Middle! We have 2 children, Marley (10) and Fin (8), and the BEST dog in the world, Blue (11).
I graduated from the University of North Carolina–Wilmington with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. I went on to earn my Master’s in Elementary Education and a Master’s in School Administration, both from the University of North Carolina–Charlotte. I began my career with UCPS in 2008 as a Teacher Assistant at Sun Valley Elementary School (now, Shiloh Valley Primary School). I went on to become a teacher and taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade at Benton Heights Elementary School of the Arts. The last two years, I was an Assistant Principal at East Elementary School. I am looking forward to a great school year! Go Knights!
Contact Ms. Plyler
- Email: kerry.plyler@ucps.k12.nc.us
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School Performance Director
- Dr. Candice Boatright
- 704-296-3062, ext. 4073
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Professional Advisory Council Representatives
- Principal: Kristen Sides
- Representative: Natasha Higgins