The Guilford County Board of Education in Greensboro, N.C., recently voted to extend the contract of Guilford County Public Schools Superintendent Whitney Oakley through June 30, 2027, citing her leadership and efforts to improve student achievement.

Whitney, who is the district’s first superintendent from Guilford County, took the helm of the 70,000-student school system in August 2022. During her tenure, the district expanded learning recovery efforts, including high-dosage tutoring and learning hubs. The district also deployed twelve new school safety strategies; secured a $14.8 million grant to expand on-demand mental health services to all schools; and launched nine new school construction projects along with a $48 million allocation for deferred maintenance, technology, and school safety projects as part of a voter-approved $2 billion school bond program.

In announcing her contract extension, the Board of Education stated, “Dr. Oakley has engaged our community with her vision of leadership and laid out a thoughtful, clear path, with student achievement at the center. Her approachability, accountability, transparency, and ability to communicate her vision are great assets for GCS.” 

L.A. School Board Member to Retire 

Jackie Goldberg, president of the Los Angeles Unified school board, has announced plans to retire at the end of her term in December 2024.

“It’s been the honor of my life to advocate for children,” Goldberg said in a statement released by the district. “I got into this work, starting with teaching, because I wanted the best educational experience for teachers and students everywhere.”

Goldberg started her career in the late 1960s as a teacher in the Compton Unified School District, where she and a teaching partner developed an effective reading improvement program. She won election to the LAUSD board in 1983 for two terms, then was elected to Los Angeles City Council, serving from 1993 to 2000. She was the first openly lesbian council member in the city’s history.

In 2000, she was elected to the California State Assembly, serving for three terms and heading the education committee.

Elected to the LAUSD school board again in 2019, she has advocated for community schools, green campuses, improved school facilities, and family engagement.

Tulsa Leader to Depart

After serving eight years at the helm, Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist announced that she is stepping down on September 15. A graduate of the 33,000-student school district, Gist became superintendent in 2015.

Under Gist’s leadership, the district expanded its dual language programming, opened the only three public Montessori programs in the state, implemented the Seal of Biliteracy for high school students demonstrating proficiency in at least two languages, launched a unified enrollment system, and successfully passed a five-year $415-million bond.  

Ebony Johnson, the district’s chief learning officer, will succeed Gist as interim superintendent.