Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr. honored as North Carolina Superintendent of the Year
Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr., has been named the 2024 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year. The award was presented at a ceremony on Tuesday night at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro.
Connelly was selected from a group of eight esteemed regional nominees. He was recognized for his transformative leadership, particularly in spearheading the "Cumberland Commitment: Strategic Plan," which has brought remarkable progress and innovation to Cumberland County Schools (CCS), the fifth-largest school district in North Carolina.
"I think the key is ensuring high-quality teachers in every classroom," Connelly said. "There is no silver bullet. It's just drilling down to ensure that instruction is happening every day."
Executing that challenging strategic plan came at a time of profound personal challenge, too. Stage four cancer in his jaw.
"And the doctors didn't give me very long to live or even survive the surgery," Connelly said. "But I had amazing doctors and most of all I have an amazing God."
This US Army veteran and career educator credits his team for pushing through not missing a beat.
Connelly says he wants Cumberland County families to know he is committed to the success of every Cumberland County student.
"I'm in it to help them be successful," Connelly said. "It's all about equitable access to instruction for every student."
The award is given by the North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA) in partnership with the North Carolina School Superintendents' Association (NCSSA) and the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA) and is made possible by Scholastic Education. It honors exceptional leadership in K-12 public schools.
By receiving this award, Dr. Connelly becomes a contender for the National Superintendent of the Year title, to be awarded in February during an event in California.
Under Dr. Connelly's leadership, CCS has achieved a series of state and national recognitions, including:
- The 2021 and 2022 National Magna Awards for equity efforts
- The North Carolina State Superintendent's Purple Star District Award for three consecutive years for military-friendly practices
- The 2021 Forbes Best-in-State Employer accolade
- The National School Public Relations Association's Golden Achievement and Publications and Digital Media Excellence Awards in 2021
