Just over a month after the N.C. Department of Public Instruction released performance grades for public schools across the state, the superintendent of Lee County Schools expanded two positions in the district’s administration and filled one vacant spot this week in an effort to better coordinate instructional improvement within the district.
Dr. Andy Bryan expanded the positions of John Conway Jr., the former LCS superintendent for human resources, and Dr. Carol Chappell, former director of K-5 instruction.
Conway is now the assistant superintendent for human resources and curriculum and instruction.
“By combining these two departments, we can better support our teachers,” Bryan said in a statement. “Right now, nearly one-third of our teachers — about 200 in all — have less than three years of experience in the classroom. Our success depends on helping those new teachers design their courses consistent with what the state requires and incorporate activities and strategies that will help students learn even better. I believe this organizational move puts us on that path for success.”
Conway, a former principal at a primary school in Beaufort County, said he had a plethora of experiences in human resources working to hire talented teachers.
“In HR, we try very hard to recruit the very best teachers we can find,” he said. “We offer them some training and support through HR. But beyond recruiting, there’s that retention piece, trying to retain the teacher. I think if we can put more support structures in place on the curriculum and instruction side of things, we’re more likely to retain those teachers once we get them here.”
In addition to Chappell’s responsibilities overseeing kindergarten through fifth-grade instruction, she now will oversee the end-of-grade and end-of-course testing for grades six through 12 as well.
“Carol has been an extremely strong instructional leader at the elementary level,” Bryan said. “This move is designed to expand the influence of her expertise and increase continuity in instruction over the kindergarten-through-12th-grade span. I have great faith in Carol’s ability to work with teachers and administrators to improve instruction. Her track record speaks for itself.”
Chappell formerly has worked as an elementary school teacher in Lee County and as an assistant principal at Lee County High School. She also is the developer of the Lee County Education Foundation’s Head of Class formula, which is used to award $50,000 annually to a local school’s staff.
“Now that I also will be working with secondary schools, I’m looking forward to bringing vertical alignment, to having seamless K-12 instruction,” Chappell said. “A lot of elementary school is focused on reading, building foundations of reading and math skills. You want to send students on to secondary schools ready to learn.”
Bryan also appointed Gary Hart as the new director of career and technical education on Tuesday. Hart will replace former director Aaron Fleming, who joined N.C. House of Representative Speaker Tim Moore’s staff earlier this year as an agricultural and educational adviser.
“Gary brings the perfect blend of classroom experience and possession of existing relationships with the business community to the career and technical education director position,” Bryan said. ” Lee County Schools is considered a leader in career and technical education, and I have confidence that Gary will continue to enhance that program.”
Hart has served Lee County Schools for almost 15 years, working as a construction technology instructor at LCHS and as a career development coordinator at Southern Lee High School. Of the many achievements of the district’s CTE program, Hart is most proud of the National Academy Foundation offerings at both high schools.
“We’ve got academies in both schools,” Hart said. “Hospitality and tourism, academy of finance and academy of engineering. [By August 2015], we’ll have all three academies at both high schools. We’re in the process of registering eighth-graders for those programs now, and it looks like the numbers at Southern are going to be high in all three areas.”
Hart said the major focus of the CTE program is helping students obtain certifications and credentials in various fields to compliment their high school diplomas.