Henry County's school superintendent is headed to North Carolina.
Dr. Anthony Jackson is leaving Henry County to be a school superintendent at a school system in North Carolina.
He served as superintendent of Henry County schools since the summer of 2009. The school system says he's leaving that position for the new one at the end of July.
The school board will meet on June 20 at 9 a.m. to discuss filling the superintendent position.
Here is the full news release:
Henry County Public Schools Superintendent Accepts Position in North Carolina
Henry County Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Anthony Jackson, notified the School Board and staff Tuesday that he is leaving at the end of July. Dr. Jackson was appointed the Superintendent of Nash-Rocky Mount Schools in North Carolina at a special school board meeting on Monday evening. The Nash-Rocky Mount School System has 17,000 students, 28 schools, 2,500 employees, and an annual operating budget of $208 million.
Dr. Jackson has served as the Superintendent of Henry County Public Schools since July 1, 2009. Under his leadership all fourteen schools have achieved full accreditation, 93% of the schools made AYP, and the school division made AYP. Henry County Public Schools also received the 2011 Virginia Board of Education Excellence Award (one of only eight school divisions in the state to receive this recognition); made significant investments in technology including launching a nationally-recognized iPad initiative; worked with the school board and staff to develop a plan to effectively use federal stimulus funds to ensure operational efficiency and support instructional initiatives; supported the expansion of advanced placement programs and implementation of virtual courses; and expanded alternative options for at-risk students.
Dr. Jackson also led the division through the process of developing its strategic plan and worked cooperatively with staff and the community to prioritize shrinking resources, ensuring that all expenditures were aligned with the plans priorities. As a result, the Henry County Public School System is one of only a few systems in the state able to provide its employees with a salary increase for the 2011-2012 school year despite losing $500,000 in funding from the locality.
Additionally, under Jackson’s leadership the school system secured a $35,000 commitment from Service Solutions Inc, as seed funding to launch the HCPS First Generation College Student Scholarship fund to provide three to five HCPS seniors with a $1,000 scholarship annually for the next five years; he spearheaded Arts Alive!, a division-wide and community celebration of the fine arts; facilitated monthly and quarterly meetings with division advisory councils (student, parent, teacher and classified staff); refined the school system's volunteer process which now has approximately 2,000 volunteers; secured approximately $2.1 million in competitive grant funds; cultivated meaningful partnerships between the schools, businesses, and the faith-based community; and developed and implemented numerous ways in which the school system recognizes students, employees, and community partners. Support for a cohort of teachers pursuing National Board Certification and the development of an in-house Aspiring Leaders’
Program, to prepare division staff interested in leadership for future administrative opportunities, were both initiated during Jackson’s tenure.
"Serving the Henry County Public School System has been a tremendous professional and personal opportunity for me and my family. The School Board has been phenomenal to work for and the community has been very supportive of the school system.
I am confident that the many recent accomplishments and on-going initiatives will continue to move the school system towards realization of its vision, mission, and goals for many years to come," said Dr. Jackson.
Dr. Jackson was also actively engaged in the Martinsville-Henry County community serving on various committees and boards. Dr. Jackson served on the boards of the Virginia Museum of Natural History Foundation, Piedmont Arts Association, and Smart Beginnings. He was also appointed to the Commission studying and making recommendations on the future of New College Institute.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed serving as the Superintendent of Henry County Public Schools. This is a high-quality school division that continues to exceed all federal, state, and local expectations. The many achievements and accolades received by our students, staff, and school division are a testament to the hundreds of dedicated professionals who truly embody our school division’s vision and continue to put the needs of students first,” said Dr. Anthony Jackson.
School Board Chair Kathy Rogers said, “Although his tenure with Henry County Schools was short, the system benefited greatly from Dr. Jackson’s leadership. He has truly taken Henry County Schools to the next level and he will be leaving the system positioned for continued success.”
“We wish nothing but the best for Dr. Jackson and his family,” she added.
The School Board of Henry County will meet in a special meeting, on Monday, June 20, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. to discuss the next steps in filling the superintendent position.
