Eight exceptional school district leaders have been chosen as regional Superintendents of the Year to compete for the Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2027 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year. The award will be presented in a ceremony beginning at 11:45 a.m. at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro on Oct. 8.

The North Carolina A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year is chosen jointly by the North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA) and NCASA’s core affiliate, the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association (NCSSA), with support and sponsorship from Burroughs Wellcome Fund and worldwide education leader Scholastic Education. 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. The 2027 Superintendent of the Year Award will be presented via livestream on the NCASA YouTube channel on October 8th, beginning at 12:00 p.m. Click HERE to access this link.

The eight regional winners and 2027 A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year nominees are as follows:

	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-Mecklenburg Schools
	Region 7 | Northwest	Dr. Mike Swan Burke County Public Schools
	Region 8 | Western	Mr. Chad Calhoun Mitchell County Schools

The recipient named Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2027 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina 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 Feb. 25-27, 2027, in Atlanta, Ga.

About Us

NCASA is a non-profit membership organization serving over 8,000 school administrators from across North Carolina and uniting 12 educational leadership groups with the common mission of ensuring student success through visionary leadership. http://www.ncasa.net/

NCSSA is a core affiliate of NCASA and the membership and professional development organization for superintendents from North Carolina’s 115 public school districts. https://www.ncssa.net

Burroughs Wellcome Fund is a private foundation dedicated to advancing biomedical sciences and supporting the next generation of scientific researchers and educators. With a strong commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in science, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund has made a significant investment in the North Carolina educational landscape. www.bwfund.org

Scholastic Education helps educators create effective literacy and learning experiences and welcoming classrooms through rich stories and meaningful instructional tools. Grounded in research and shaped by deep partnerships with practitioners and thought leaders, their supplemental literacy solutions reinforce core instruction while cultivating a culture of literacy where all children feel motivated, confident, and capable. www.scholastic.com/education