Meet the 2027 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Superintendent of the Year nominees, new NCSSA assistant executive director
The nominees for the 2027 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Superintendent of the Year were announced last week in a press release from the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association (NCSSA). The list is made up of eight superintendents, recognized as the regional Superintendents of the Year.
These eight regional winners will compete for the Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2027 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year, which will be announced at an award ceremony on Oct. 8, 2026.
“The honor is awarded to a superintendent who exhibits outstanding leadership in service to K-12 public schools and is named in honor of the late A. Craig Phillips, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction in NC, who served from 1969-1989,” says the release.
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The Superintendent of the Year is “chosen jointly” by the North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA) and NCASA’s core affiliate, the NCSSA, with “support and sponsorship” from Burroughs Wellcome Fund and Scholastic Education.
The regional winners of the Superintendents of the Year are listed below:
- Region 1 | Northeast: Dr. Matt Lutz, Currituck County Schools
- Region 2 | Southeast: Dr. Brad Breedlove, Pender County Schools
- Region 3 | Central: Dr. Steve Ellis, Nash County Public Schools
- Region 4 | Sandhills: Dr. Jamie King, Sampson County Schools
- Region 5 | Piedmont-Triad: Dr. Stephen Gainey, Randolph County School System
- Region 6 | Southwest: Dr. Crystal Hill, Charlotte-Mecklenberg Schools. On Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education voted 5-4 to terminate Hill’s employment as superintendent of CMS for convenience, effective immediately. This means Hill is ineligible to be considered for state superintendent of the year, according to NCSSA.
- Region 7 | Northwest: Dr. Mike Swan, Burke County Public Schools
- Region 8 | Western: Mr. Chad Calhoun, Mitchell County Schools
You can watch the livestream of the award presentation of Superintendent of the Year starting at 12 p.m. on Oct. 8 on YouTube.
According to the release, the recipient named 2027 Superintendent of the Year will represent the state in competition for the 2027 National Superintendent of the Year Award, to be given at the American Association of School Administrators’ National Conference on Education on Feb. 25-27, 2027, in Atlanta.
NCSSA announces new assistant executive director
NCSSA also announced their selection of Dr. Rob Jackson as the organization’s new assistant executive director in a press release last week.
The role involves work in policy, advocacy, leadership support, professional development, coaching, program leadership, corporate partnerships, grants, resource development, communications, and member engagement. Jackson officially started in his new role on Monday, Sept. 21.
Jackson is a native North Carolinian and “proud public school graduate,” according to the release. He worked in education for 34 years, serving in a variety of roles, including bus driver, summer custodian, teacher, assistant principal, elementary and high school principals, superintendent of a small, medium, and large school system, and more. He also served in the U.S. Navy.
“Dr. Jackson is highly respected across North Carolina by superintendents and state leaders alike,” said NCSSA Executive Director Jack Hoke in the release. “He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role but is most known for leading school systems to historic results with kindness and strength. His heart for service will be a tremendous value-add to the NCSSA.”
More from Dr. Jackson
NCSSA President Dr. Brent Williams, also superintendent of Lenoir County Public Schools, said that Jackson is a “dynamic educator who leads with an inspiring vision for continuous improvement and a true passion for investing in others.”
According to the release, Jackson has earned the following state and national awards in connection to his work in education:
- 2017 Region One Superintendent of the Year
- 2017 innagural Dr. Brad Sneeden Superintendent Leadership Award
- 2019 Dr. Sam Houston Leadership Award
- 2020 North Carolina High School Athletic Association Superintendent of the Year
“I am very honored by the opportunity to continue to serve students, faculty, and staff through supporting School Superintendents across the state,” said Jackson. “NCSSA is highly regarded for its ability to work with leaders at all levels to advocate for students. I am excited to assist the Board of Directors and Executive Director in their important work.”