Yesterday, the newly-appointed Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley held a the first of the Superintendent's Teachers Advisory Council meetings for the 2022-2023 school year. Each school in Guilford County was asked to appoint a teacher to attend and represent. At the meeting, Dr. Oakley reflected on the challenges and successes of the Guilford County Schools (GCS) during the pandemic. She lauded the hard work of teachers and staff for making the adjustments needed during those unprecedented times. After the "where we have been" segment, she updated the group on "where we are now" and the importance of continuing what works in addressing learning recovery and learning gains. She shared updates on repair needs and construction in progress. She also acknowledged the staffing shortage GCS is currently facing. Finally, she addressed "where we are going" especially vis-a-vis a portrait of a GCS graduate and what we want for students after their K-12 experience.
Dr. Oakley is a product of the Guilford County Schools, getting her start at Guilford Primary with Dr. Doris Henderson as her principal. She has degrees from East Carolina University, Greensboro College, and a doctoral degree from UNC Greensboro. She has made a career of serving the Alamance-Burlington and GCS school districts. Having a leader with an emic/insider's view will go a long way in addressing the complex variables and needs of Guilford County Schools, the 50th largest school district, of the 14,000+ public school districts in the United States.
Thank you for your leadership, Dr. Oakley. Happy Friday, dear readers!
For whatever reason the pic's not showing up. I'll check later.
Posted by: William Kendall | Friday, November 18, 2022 at 07:44 AM
Good take on her.
Posted by: William Kendall | Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 05:31 AM