The North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association announced the selection of Aaron Greene, superintendent of Polk County Schools, as the recipient of the Dr. Brad Sneeden Leadership Award, and Dr. Otis Smallwood, superintendent of Bertie County Schools, as the recipient of the Dr. Dwayne Stallings Leadership Award, according to press releases.

Congrats Superintendent Aaron Greene!

The Dr. Brad Sneeden Leadership Award is presented in honor and recognition of a superintendent who has demonstrated a strong commitment to lifelong learning, unwavering integrity in leadership, and transformation of vision into action.

This annual award is presented to a graduate of the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association’s Next Generation Superintendent Development Program, a program that is designed to empower transformational education leaders for North Carolina’s public schools.

Greene was selected by former recipients of the leadership award.

Sneeden was serving as superintendent of Carteret County Public Schools at the time of his death in October 2008 at the age of 56. He also served as associate vice president for leadership development and director of the Principals’ Executive Program, deputy state superintendent for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education, and superintendent of Craven County Schools. Sneeden led with innovation and vision while never wavering from ethics of the highest order, according to the press release.

“I am honored to receive the Dr. Brad Sneeden Leadership Award,” said Greene. “This award has been given to amazing superintendents, and I am humbled to be mentioned alongside them and Dr. Sneeden. His legacy of dedicated service is one to which I aspire.”

“The Polk County Board of Education is very proud of Mr. Greene for this accomplishment,” said Mike Ashworth, chair of the Polk County Board of Education. “It comes as no surprise to us or the members of our community that he has earned it.”

Greene’s leadership and vision, Ashworth said, have allowed Polk County Schools to continue to rank as one of the top school districts in the state year in and year out.

“Mr. Greene exemplifies the traits that guided Dr. Brad Sneeden’s career in educational leadership,” said Jack Hoke, executive director of the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association. “He has demonstrated a vision for Polk County Schools as an educational innovator and a strong commitment to continuous improvement and the highest standards of ethical conduct.”

Here is the press release, including more information about this award.

Congrats Superintendent Otis Smallwood!

The Dr. Dwayne Stallings Leadership Award is presented in honor and recognition of a superintendent who has demonstrated a strong dedication to public education, commitment to academic excellence, and a continual focus on professional growth and student learning.

This award is presented to a superintendent serving a school district that is a member of the Northeast Regional Education Service Alliance.

The award is named in honor of Dr. Dwayne Stallings who was serving as executive director of the Northeast RESA at the time of his death in August 2020 at the age of 63. Stallings began his career in education teaching and went on to serve as assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. He was named the Northeast RESA
Superintendent of the Year in 2013, and he was a nominee for the A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year award.

“I am extremely humbled and honored to receive such a prestigious award given in honor of Dr. Stallings,” said Smallwood. “The encouragement I received from Dr. Stallings started while I was student teaching at Northeastern High School in Elizabeth City, and it continued throughout my career as a young administrator and into the superintendency.”

Hoke said, “Dr. Smallwood exemplifies the traits that guided Dr. Dwayne Stallings’ career in educational leadership. He has demonstrated a strong dedication to public education, commitment to academic excellence, and a continual focus on professional growth and student learning for the Bertie County Schools.”

Smallwood was named Superintendent of Bertie County Schools in July 2019, and he is the only Bertie County native to ever hold the position of superintendent. He is a 1989 graduate of Bertie High School.

Here is the press release, including more information about this award.