Today, Dr. Don Phipps — a “leader among leaders” — begins his tenure as superintendent of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WC/FCS), and the “All In For Our Schools” campaign provides different ways for you to support his leadership and this district moving forward.
In May 2025, EdNC reported that WS/FCS was facing a $42 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2025, ending June 30.
Catty Moore — the highly regarded former superintendent in Wake County Schools who now serves on the N.C. State Board of Education — stepped up to serve as interim superintendent, starting on June 2. The Assembly profiled Moore in this article titled, “The Fixer.”
“It’s a big number,” said Moore. “It requires big thinking and — quite frankly — sacrifice, adjustment, and what I call a reset. We need a reset on some of this in order to move forward stronger. Once we get that right, the sky’s the limit.” Part of that reset involved a reduction in force of 222 staff.
The state auditor issued a special report in August, identifying seven factors that led to the financial shortfall and issuing recommendations.
Ray Gronberg with the NC Tribune writes, “State Auditor Dave Boliek’s office has already said it thinks part of the reason is the district didn’t downsize as charter and private schools made inroads into its enrollment.” In 2019, the district served 54,480 students and this school year’s 10 day count was 49,224 students.
Importantly, the special report “did not find any evidence of malfeasance on the part of WS/FCS.”
In October, the N.C. State Board of Education approved Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC as the vendor to review the internal controls of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. The $97,770 contract requires a final report by Dec. 31 with public presentation by Feb. 15, 2026. “The firm will determine the adequacy of financial controls, access fiscal governance, and provide a Corrective Action Roadmap,” says a recent district update.
As Superintendent Mo Green has noted, this is unprecedented in North Carolina.
On Oct. 9, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners authorized a conditional forgiveness of the district’s debt by crediting dollar for dollar funds raised from private sources.
Days later, the Twin City Development Foundation donated $400,000 to WS/FCS, and the campaign raised $5.8 million from 330 donors as of Nov. 10, allowing the district to pay in full its debt to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
“We urge others to join us in supporting the school system during this critical time,” said Winston-Salem City Council Member Robert Clark, who is also that foundation’s board chair. “Together, we can protect the future of our children and the vitality of our region.”
Superintendent Don Phipps to lead the next chapter
WS/FCS announced in early October that it had hired Phipps to serve as superintendent. It would be an understatement to say that leaders across the state cheered the hire.
“Known for his steady hand and collaborative approach, he has built a reputation for navigating complex budget environments with discipline and transparency,” said the press release.
Phipps’ own education has focused on the intersection of psychology, technology, and leadership, which will serve him well as he leads educators, parents, and the community out of this experience.
He has been a school psychologist and a principal in addition to previously serving as superintendent in Beaufort County Schools and Caldwell County Schools.
Phipps understands the whole educational continuum, and while he was superintendent in Caldwell, you could also often find him serving as a part-time instructor at Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, teaching classes in early child care, teacher preparation, and child guidance counseling.
He has as good a handle as any superintendent on positioning schools and districts for the future. In Caldwell, he worked with Bill Daggett, the Successful Practices Network, and leaders from around the country to think about how to build “future-focused schools.”
In 2023, Phipps was named the A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year. At the time, he said, “Gratitude is not a strong enough word.”
Jack Hoke, the executive director of the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association, has called Phipps a “leader among leaders.”
The N.C. State Board of Education recommended Phipps, who has been appointed on a 15-month contract.
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‘All In For Our Schools’
Nonprofits, foundations, business leaders, faith organizations, and advocates across Forsyth County have come together to form an education collaborative to help the district during this crisis.
Marni Langbert Eisner is the executive director of the Education Foundation for Winston-Salem Forsyth County Public Schools (LEF), which was established in March 2023.
A graduate of Brown University, Eisner went on to get her law degree from Vanderbilt University. In her previous role as director of the Center for Trauma Resilient Communities at Crossnore Communities for Children, Eisner played a key role in helping Crossnore, Action4Equity, and Forsyth Futures secure a federal grant to build trauma resilient communities.
“Marni is the right leader at the right time for the LEF,” said Joy Vermillion Heinsohn, the executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. “She has dedicated her career to public service, working to strengthen programs that serve children and families and to build more equitable communities. She understands that the community must focus on supporting kids and teachers, not on pointing fingers, and she has the skills, heart, and track record to help the community move forward.”
LaTida Smith is the president of the Winston-Salem Foundation, who has written about the role of philanthropy in taking care of each other.
Smith and Eisner worked together to launch the “All In For Our Schools” community campaign, which provides different ways to support students, teachers, and schools in WS/FCS.
Eisner said, “I am so thankful for the partnership with the Winston-Salem Foundation in this effort. They stepped up in a big way to support this effort by contributing $1,000,000.” Smith, she said, has been unwavering in her support of this campaign showing a deep commitment to public schools.
“All In For Our Schools” is being stewarded by the LEF, The Winston-Salem Foundation, The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Greater Winston-Salem Inc., Forsyth Technical Community College, Action 4 Equity, Bookmarks, Love Literacy, Forsyth Futures, Love Out Loud, Crossnore Communities for Children, Knollwood Baptist/Faith in the City, IAF, and Thriving Together, according to the website.
“LaTida and Marni have done a beautiful job of pulling together community institutions to support students and teachers amidst the financial crisis,” said Vermillion Heinsohn. “They recognize it will take all of us working together to ensure WSFCS emerges stronger and that we don’t lose sight of who we are serving — our children. All in for Our Schools reflects the leadership style that Marni and LaTida both bring to the table — focused on bringing multiple stakeholders to the table to build on everyone’s strengths.”
Here are some ways you can get involved:
- Share the “All In For Our Schools” website with neighbors, friends, and family, as well as organizations, faith communities, businesses, and local officials.
- Donate to the futures fund, the student success fund, the classroom supplies fund, or a book drive.
- Order items on Amazon from teacher and school wish lists.
- Volunteer or partner with the district.
- Advocate with local and state officials for additional resources in support of the school district.
- Share what you are doing to support the WS/FCS schools.
“Every donation made by year-end will have a major impact on the district, our schools, and our students,” said Eisner in a press release.
In 2026, EdNC will be in classrooms and schools in WS/FCS so you can see firsthand how schools carry on, the difference community support makes, and how the story of this school district continues to unfold.
Editor’s note: The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation supports the work of EdNC.
You can see all the documents here for the internal controls contract. Here is where you can find all of the budget updates from the school district.
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