5 questions with a superintendent whose lowest-performing schools are showing promise

Amazing things happen in the lives of students when families and educators join forces, says Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. of Cumberland County Schools. That’s why the North Carolina district, as part of its strategic plan, opened the Cumberland Family Academy—also known as CFA—during the 2020-21 school year, says Connelly, who has led Cumberland County since 2018.

“Since launching CFA, district officials have continued to listen to families to create innovative ways for families to receive information and resources to support their children,” adds Connelly, who was recently named the Sandhills Regional Education Consortium’s Superintendent of the Year. “Throughout the ’23-24 school year, CCS families will have numerous opportunities to connect with the school system and receive critical information and resources to help their children.”

Those connections are key in an urban school district of nearly 50,000 students and 6,500 employees that is located near Fort Liberty, the largest military installation in the U.S. Designated as a Tier 1 county, more than 80% of the district’s students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

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“Food insecurity, access to healthcare, and social and emotional challenges cannot be overlooked—they all impact the success of students in the classroom. However, we are committed to the success of every child in our school system,” he explains.

Connelly, whose more than 30 years in education include a stint as chief of staff for North Carolina’s largest district, the Wake County Public School System, recently answered District Administration‘s questions covering what he’s excited about, how his role is changing and the challenges Cumberland County faces as 2023-24 gets underway.

1. DA: Why do you think you were named the Sandhills Regional Education Consortium’s Superintendent of the Year?

Connelly: “For the hard work and dedication of our school system’s employees and successful students in navigating through the pandemic and focusing on recovery. We have received local, state, and national recognition for robust learning experiences and equitable access to engaging learning for all students. We have witnessed significant improvement in low-performing schools and brought innovative opportunities to students district-wide.

We continue emphasizing innovation and outside-the-box thinking, and we are focused on nurturing students to become responsible citizens, effective collaborators, and lifelong learners while showcasing innovation and compassion through our ‘Premier Professionals‘ program.”

2. What are the most exciting things that are happening at Cumberland County Schools?

“Implementation of Strategic Plan 2024, now extended to 2026—with a strong emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion—to ensure that all students have equitable access to high-quality instruction. Implementation of PASE (performance, accountability, support, and empowerment) to support schools based on their needs. PASE has resulted in 98.9% of schools increasing their composite proficiency scores.

We continue to launch innovative programs to ensure our students are life-ready. For example, Douglas Byrd High School and Cumberland County School students are in for a tech-filled fall. We unveiled the state’s first SparkLab on June 29. This cutting-edge resource opens doors to high-tech job training, perfect for the future job market. SparkNC’s learner-centered program focuses on AI, machine learning, software development, and cybersecurity, preparing students for modern work.

And our educator and leadership pipeline includes:

• North Carolina State University’s Educational Leadership Academy, which trains teachers to become assistant principals
• LEAD Program, which prepares assistant principals to become principals
• Wallace Pipeline initiative
• Future Educators Program, which recruits former students as teachers.”

3. How has your role as superintendent changed over the last few years?

“Adapting to challenges, particularly in response to the pandemic, and embracing innovative thinking. We’ve embraced a distributive leadership approach, empowering others and focusing on student success, and pivoted from traditional norms to embrace a season of innovation and continuous learning.

We’re actively coaching and developing more leaders to sustain good leadership within the organization. We are having to navigate an increase in political and racial challenges facing public education, which, in some cases, has divided school board members. Our goal is to keep our board members focused on student learning and outcomes for all children.”

4. DA: What are the three or four biggest challenges Cumberland County Schools faces right now?

• Addressing learning loss caused by the pandemic through continuous improvement efforts.
• Up-and-coming educator candidate pool—fewer students are selecting education as a major so we are enhancing working conditions and support to retain top talent, ensuring students have highly qualified staff.
• Social-emotional challenges: Prioritizing school safety and creating a secure environment for students and staff.

5. How would you describe your leadership philosophy?

“A servant leadership style that is collaborative and distributive in working closely with others to achieve shared goals. I empower individuals to take ownership of their roles and responsibilities while maintaining a student-centric focus, and emphasize continuous learning and adapting to new challenges, which ensures the organization’s sustained growth. I invest in people and foster strong relationships to build a cohesive and successful community.”