AIM FOR IMPACT
Join us to hear from AI visionaries and education leaders on building future-ready schools.
Previously recorded May 2023
According to 2022 data from the Superintendent Research Project, nearly half (49%) of the largest school districts faced leadership changes since March 2020. Driving factors have been attributed to everything from politics, the pandemic, to parent group pressures. Could the crux of these issues lay in lack of support for adult well-being?
In this session, hear a conversation with district leadership about how a strong culture of adult well-being fortifies the major challenges that leadership face: staff shortages, a slowing pipeline of new leadership, lack of coaching for aspiring leaders, and other constant pressures from within their district.
Panelists address:
Executive Director, NCVirtual
Superintendent, Worthington Schools (OH)
Superintendent, Mehlville School District (MO)
Superintendent, Sumter School District (SC)
Education Advisor, Panorama Education
Executive Director, NCVirtual
Superintendent, Worthington Schools (OH)
Superintendent, Mehlville School District (MO)
Superintendent, Sumter School District (SC)
Education Advisor, Panorama Education
Executive Director, NCVirtual
Mia has served as the Executive Director of NCVirtual since May 2022. She has worked for the organization since 2014 first serving as the Director of Outreach and Support and most recently as the Chief Operations Officer.
Dr. Murphy is a veteran educator with over 25 years working in K-16 schools. Prior to joining NCVirtual, she served as the Director of Educational Technology and Learning Resources with Johnston Community College and as the Director of Special Projects and Instructional Technology with the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Dr. Murphy has many years of experience in instructional technology, online learning, and program development. Reared in rural eastern North Carolina, she is committed to ensuring all students have options and opportunities to meet their unique needs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business education from North Carolina A&T State University, MBA from UNC-Greensboro, a master’s in education-instructional technology from East Carolina University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Superintendent, Worthington Schools (OH)
Dr. Bowers is a proud graduate from Worthington Schools. He has 27 years of experience in public education and has served students and families as a teacher, coach, dean of students, and the principal of three schools. In addition, he has worked as the Director of Human Resources and Assistant Superintendent for the district.
On July 1, 2015, Dr. Bowers became the Superintendent of Worthington Schools. Trent has designed, built and opened several new schools, led contract negotiations, mediated personnel disputes, and led district-wide instructional improvement. He has taught leadership courses at the university level and has been a guest lecturer on data-based decision making. Trent communicates with the local community through his highly effective blog and multiple social networking sites.
Dr. Bowers holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Ashland University, a Masters in school administration from Ohio State University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Taylor University. He lives in the district and has two children who attend Worthington Schools, in addition to being the parent of a graduate of Worthington Schools.
Upon his retirement this spring, Dr. Gaines will have completed 28 years in education – including 22 years as a superintendent. Dr. Gaines spent the last eight years as the Superintendent for Mehlville School District where he has expanded opportunities and choices for students. Through the creation of MOSAIC Elementary School, Middle School Academies, MyPath and other innovative practices, the district is now known on a national level as a model for personalized student learning.
Before Mehlville, he was hired as the Wright City R-II school superintendent in 2008 after serving as superintendent for the Crawford County R-1 school district for seven years. Prior to that, Gaines was a principal at Bourbon High School. He began his education career in southeast Missouri as a math teacher and school bus driver. He also taught science, coached girls basketball and golf, and was a club sponsor.
The Wright City school board praised Dr. Gaines for making Wright City R-II the most academically improved district in the state during his tenure, as well as reducing staff turnover, upgrading school facilities and overseeing plans to purchase land for a new high school and for beginning construction on a district preschool.
Dr. Gaines has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Southeast Missouri State University. He received his Doctorate from St. Louis University.
Superintendent, Sumter School District (SC)
Dr. Wright is a 1983 graduate of Northern Nash High School in Rocky Mount and, at the time of his graduation, was the youngest graduate in the school’s history at 16 years of age.
He was a broadcaster and manufacturing manager before becoming a teacher at Edwards Junior High School in Rocky Mount. Six years later he became principal of South Edgecombe Middle School in Pinetops, the school’s first ever African-American principal. He later became principal of Western Harnett High School in Lillington before being named assistant superintendent for auxiliary services for Harnett County Schools in 2011. He was named superintendent for McCormick County, SC in 2013, the position he held prior to being hired as Hertford County’s Superintendent in October of 2015. During his tenure at Hertford County Superintendent of Public Schools, Dr. Wright was named the 2020-21 Superintendent of the Year for northeastern North Carolina. Most recently, he began the role of Superintendent of the Sumter School District in South Carolina for the 2022-2023 school year.
Wright has a bachelor’s in Business Administration from North Carolina Wesleyan in Rocky Mount, a master’s in School Administration from NC State University (2004), and then a doctorate in education from NCSU.
Education Advisor, Panorama Education
Dr. Silver started her education career as a high school science teacher in rural, eastern North Carolina. She went on to serve in the Curriculum and Instruction division at North Carolina Virtual Public School, which is the 2nd largest state virtual school in the country. Her leadership across this organization focused on digital teaching and learning. Dr. Silver later served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Academic Officer, and Superintendent where she led the schools to high student growth every year. She now serves as an Education Advisor for Panorama.
Dr. Silver earned her Education Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management from Capella University. Shortly thereafter she earned her Education Specialist Degree from Appalachian State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology (Pre-Medicine) from Elizabeth City State University and Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Scranton. Dr. Silver has published several professional journal and op-ed articles in the field of online learning and education leadership.