Greensboro |
Dr. Freddie Williamson, Superintendent of Hoke County Schools, was named the 2016 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year at an awards presentation and reception held Tuesday, Nov. 17 at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. The award was given jointly by the North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA), North Carolina School Superintendents Association (NCSSA) and the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA). Scholastic sponsored the event and provided $5,000 in recognition of Dr. Williamson's achievements. Williamson was nominated for the state honor after being named District IV's 2016 North Carolina Regional Superintendent of the Year by the Sandhills Regional Education Consortium.
Beginning his journey as a classroom teacher, Dr. Williamson holds more than 30 years of service in public education -- the past nine of which have been served as Superintendent of Hoke County Schools. He is known and admired by his peers and in his district for his transformational leadership, no-excuses philosophy and innovative spirit.
Dr. Williamson graduated with a BS in Agriculture Education from North Carolina A&T University, and received his Master's degree in Educational Leadership from the same. Dr. Williamson went on to complete his Educational Leadership from East Carolina University, and received his Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership from Fayetteville State University in 2004.
As Superintendent of Hoke County Schools, Dr. Williamson has led Hoke County Schools to receive numerous accolades, including: NC Innovation in Digital Learning, Scientific Learning National Reference Site, and Southern Regional Educational Board Outstanding School District. He has been instrumental in both increasing the district's graduation rate by 27.7% -- from 47.1% to 74.8% -- and reducing the district's drop-out rate from 6.43% to 2.26%.
"Dr. Williamson is known for, and continues to demonstrate, a remarkable passion for leadership and transformation in his district that makes him well deserving of this prestigious state award," said Jack Hoke, Executive Director of NCSSA.
As the 2016 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Williamson will compete on the national level for Superintendent of the Year at the American Association of School Administrators' National Conference on Education, held February 11-13, 2016 in Phoenix, AZ.
The 2016 North Carolina Regional Superintendents of the Year, all of whom were nominees for this prestigious state award and were recognized as such at the Nov. 17 ceremony, included:
- Region 1 | Northeast | Dr. Don Phipps, Beaufort County Schools
- Region 2 | Southeast | Dr. Tim Markley, New Hanover County Schools
- Region 3 | Central | Dr. Tom Forcella, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
- Region 4 | Sandhills | Dr. Freddie Williamson, Hoke County Schools
- Region 5 | Piedmont/Triad | Dr. Darrin Hartness, Davie County Schools
- Region 6 | Southwest | Dr. Terry Griffin, Stanly County Schools
- Region 7 | Northwest | Dr. Dan Brigman, Catawba County Schools
- Region 8 | Western | Mr. Bill Miller, Polk County Schools
