The Wayne County Board of Education is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with Dr. Michael D. Priddy to serve as Interim Superintendent following the retirement of Dr. David A. Lewis, effective April 1, 2023.
Dr. Priddy has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in education and has previously served as an interim superintendent in the Pamlico County Schools, Bertie County Schools and Guilford County Schools. He began his career as a teacher in the Northhampton County Schools and served in a wide range of supervisory roles in central offices in the Guilford County Schools and High Point City Schools, supervising secondary education, research, planning and evaluation, personnel, finance, administrative services, transportation, curriculum and accountability. He was Deputy Assistant State Superintendent for Educational Media and Technology and Associate State Superintendent for State Board Relations in the late 1980s. He retired from the Pitt County Schools as Superintendent. He has also served as an adjunct professor at UNC Greensboro, Appalachian State University and East Carolina University and was Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Public School Forum of North Carolina.
“The Board is confident that Dr. Priddy will effectively guide the school system as we search for our next superintendent, and we welcome him to Wayne County,” states D. Wade Leatham, Board Chair.
Dr. Priddy has a doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision as well as a masters and undergraduate degree from UNC Chapel Hill. He has been recognized for his many accomplishments and contributions to public education and the State of North Carolina with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the Old North State Award, NAACP Community Service Award, Healthy Schools Superintendent of the Year Award, Outstanding Educator Award from North Carolina PTA, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Outstanding Service to Humanity, and the Community Hero Award from the United Way of Greater High Point. He is in the Educators Hall of Fame for the School of Education at East Carolina University and received the Distinguished Service to Alumni Award from the School of Education at UNC Chapel Hill. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Public School Forum of North Carolina and is its Emeritus Chair. Dr. Priddy is past president of the UNC School of Education Alumni Council. He also currently serves as Treasurer of the Pastors for NC Children. Dr. Priddy is married to the Reverend Susanne Priddy.
