Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools extends contract for superintendent

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education unanimously voted to extend the superintendent's contract for an additional two years.

During the board meeting on June 28, Board Chair Deanna Kaplan said the district was fortunate to have Superintendent Tricia McManus at the helm.

“She continues to put her all into her job and as a result, has greatly improved student outcomes,” Kaplan said.

McManus began working as the deputy superintendent for the district in June of 2020. In November of that year, she became the interim superintendent when Dr. Angela Hairston resigned.

McManus served as interim until February of 2021, when she was appointed superintendent. Her initial contract was for a 28-month term set to expire in 2023. 

Lee Childress, who said he'd been working for the district for 15 years, voiced his support in extending the contract for McManus during the public speaking portion of the meeting.

“She's come into the trenches. She has helped us. She has helped our students. She has helped our staff,” Childress said. “And I can't think of anything better than to renew her contract.” 

With the board's approval, the superintendent's contract was extended to 2025. 

McManus said it was an honor to serve the district made up of “the best kids in the universe.” Still, she said that there was still a lot of work to be done. 

“You hear about, you know, our choice, and we hear so many different things around equity and our outcomes have a long way to go,” she said. “So I just want to paint a very clear picture that … we're not going to rest until we really achieve excellence for every student.”

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.