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Our Principal, Dr. Brian K. Matney

Dr. Matney, selected as the Commonwealth's 2006 "Outstanding School Principal" by his peers in the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals, will soon begin his sixth year as the principal of Frank W. Cox High School. He is a product of our school system, graduating as the valedictorian of his class of 605 at Kempsville High School in 1983. He continued his education at the University of Virginia, where he was named an Echols Scholar, Governor's Fellow, and graduated in the top two percent of his class. He was also inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in 1987. Dr. Matney continued his graduate studies on an assistantship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he secured his Master of Arts in Teaching (M. A. T) and Ph.D. While at Carolina, he also won a Dean E. Smith Scholarship, served as president of the School of Education Graduate Association, and received awards for his dissertation and for demonstrating excellence in the teaching of undergraduates.

This fall Dr. Matney was invited by the Commonwealth Board of Education to serve on Governor Timothy Kaine's Education Roundtable. In 1998, Dr. Matney was selected by the Virginia Beach Jaycees as our city's "Outstanding Young Citizen," and was later named one of three "Outstanding Young Virginians" for 1999 by the statewide organization. He taught both government and helped establish and teach the advanced placement government course at Green Run High School. In 1988, he was named one of the top 100 new teachers in America by the Student Loan Marketing Association. Prior to his appointment at Cox in 2002, he served as an assistant principal at Ocean Lakes High School(1994-1998) and principal of Lynnhaven Middle School (1998-2002). He has also completed additional coursework and seminars offered through both Harvard and Princeton. In 2007, Dr. Matney continues his role as treasurer of the 35 member Eastern Region (VHSL) Council, assuming duties as vice-chair of the Beach District (VHSL), and he will work with the National Governors Association/VASSP Administrative Coaching Program.

He and his wife, an advanced placement chemistry teacher at Tallwood High School, have two sons who attend Kempsville Elementary.

Mrs. Sandra Brown , Assistant Principal

Mrs. Brown joined the Cox administrative team this summer. Before moving to Virginia Beach in 1995, she taught English for seven years in North Carolina. In 1996, she was hired at Lynnhaven Middle School to start the first reading program in the division at the secondary level. In 2001, she became Lynnhaven's first School Improvement Specialist, where she served until 2005. In the 2005-2006 school year Mrs. Brown joined both Bayside Middle School and Landstown Middle School as their administrative assistant. During the 2006-2007 school year, she served as assistant principal at Lynnhaven Middle School. Mrs. Brown earned a Bachelors degree in English and a Masters degree in Reading from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She also earned her Education Specialist degree in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech in 1995. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech.

Mrs. Brown is in charge of the master schedule and grade reporting. She also oversees the testing program as well as the language arts, math, and guidance departments.

She and her husband have one son who attends Kingston Elementary.

Mr. Cletus Griffin, Assistant Principal

Mr. Griffin joined the Cox administrative team this year after serving as an administrator in Virginia Beach for 16 years at the elementary and middle school levels. He attended the University of Akron (Ohio) on an athletic scholarship for cross country and track. While there, he made NCAA Division II All-American in both sports and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education and History, and a Masters degree in Health and Physical Education. Mr. Griffin obtained his certification in Administration and Supervision through George Washington University. He taught Physical Education and Health at Seatack Elementary School and at Brandon Middle School, as well as Virginia US History at Green Run and Salem High Schools. Mr. Griffin also coached Boys and Girls Cross Country and Track at Green Run and Salem, bringing home a VHSL state track championship while with the Stallions.

Mr. Griffin’s areas of instructional supervision include the social studies, and marketing departments, the library program and computer resource specialists. He is responsible for accreditation, athletics, transportation, and student teachers.

His wife of 32 years is a RN at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and adjunct faculty at Tidewater Community College. They have one son who graduated from Virginia Beach Public Schools in June of 2007 and is entering Radford University in the Honors Program this fall.

Mary V. Hyman-Wiggins, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Hyman-Wiggins is a Virginia Beach native. She graduated from First Colonial High School with honors. She attended St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, North Carolina on a full four-year academic scholarship. She graduated with honors and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She taught at Southwestern Intermediate School in Suffolk before moving to Cox High School to teach English. She served as National Honor Society and debate and forensic team sponsor and chaired the English Department. She became an Assistant Principal at Cox in 1998.

Mrs. Wiggins oversees the art, business, fine arts (drama and music), health and physical education, and work and family studies departments.

She enjoys working with children, traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.