Price Will Lead NC Principal Fellows Program at NC State
Deputy Superintendent of Johnston County Schools Dr. Eddie Price has submitted his resignation to Johnston County Schools after accepting a new position at NC State University. His last day on the job will be July 31st. On August 1st he will begin work at NC State leading the N.C. Principal Fellows Program.
“Eddie Price represents the best of the characteristics and qualities we seek to cultivate in the N.C. Principal Fellows Program,” NC State College of Education Dean Mary Ann Danowitz said. “He has honed in on and positively impacted high need schools, the very kind that have the greatest need for Principal Fellows graduates. I believe he will be the ideal leader for the program at this important time.”
As the director of the N.C. Principal Fellows Program, Price will lead the state-supported merit-based scholarship program and support the various University of North Carolina (UNC) principal preparation programs through establishing a forum for collaboration to share and develop transformative practices.
The N.C. Principal Fellows Program (NCPFP) recently relocated from the UNC System Office to the NC State College of Education. The program provides a competitive, merit-based scholarship loan to persons of exceptional academic ability who have teaching or relevant experience and desire to enter school administration in a North Carolina public school.
“I have been a huge supporter of the N.C. Principal Fellows Program and recognize its importance in helping prepare the next generation of school leaders. Most importantly, I have been appreciative and impressed with the high-quality of participants in the N.C. Principal Fellows Program. I find myself extremely honored to lead the program,” Price said. “Throughout my career, I have been most passionate about growing and mentoring leaders and the consistent coaching it takes to build leadership capacity in schools and school systems. I am thrilled to direct this program and look forward to collaborating with the educational leadership faculty across the state to help support high-quality principal preparation in North Carolina.”
A native of North Carolina, Price has been an educator in North Carolina’s public schools for 25 years. He was an English and history teacher and coached track and football before entering school administration. He served in school administration at both middle and high school levels for 13 years before moving into central administration. Since 2015, he has held various central office capacities for Johnston County Public Schools, including serving as an area superintendent, chief academic officer and deputy superintendent.
“Dr. Price is an outstanding educator who is known as a relationship-builder, educational innovator, and change agent,” said Bonnie Fusarelli, Ph.D., professor of educational leadership in NC State’s College of Education. “Dr. Price is a bridge-builder who will collaborate with faculty at each of the UNC campuses with Master of School Administration (MSA) programs and will oversee statewide leadership development activities for all the Principal Fellows.”
Price has earned numerous recognitions for his outstanding leadership, including being named the the Johnston County Administrator of the Year in 2007, the Johnston County Administrator of the Year in 2010, and the Johnston County Principal of the Year in 2013.
While serving as principal at South Johnston High School, Price guided numerous changes in the culture of the school, which improved behavioral and academic success. Under his leadership, the school’s four-year graduation rate increased from 76 percent to to 95 percent; the office referrals decreased from approximately 1,400 to 500; and all three End-of-Course (EOC) proficiency cohorts improved. These changes were stimulated by initiatives that did not hamper teacher morale; the 2014 Teacher Working Conditions data showed tremendous growth in every area.
Price has spoken at numerous national conferences regarding the turnarounds he has led and the MTSS framework at the secondary level in public education.
He earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and his Master of School Administration and Doctor of Education from the NC State College of Education.
He and his wife, Kathy, live in the Clayton area with their children: Eli, Bailey, and Charley.
