As first reported Tuesday on Johnston County Report, the Johnston County Board of Education formally named Dr. Eric Bracy on Wednesday as the next superintendent of the Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS). Dr. Bracy will take office on July 1, 2020.
Dr. Bracy was formally introduced to community leaders and the media during a 6:15pm ‘Meet and Greet’ at Johnston County Schools Facilities Services in Smithfield.
During the search process, the board carefully reviewed applications from a diverse field of 31 excellent candidates. Although many qualified candidates applied, the board felt that Dr. Bracy’s experience, leadership, and dedication to students and staff would best serve JCPS students, employees, and the community for years to come.
Board chairman Todd Sutton said, “The members of the Johnston County Board of Education unanimously and enthusiastically support Dr. Bracy’s selection as our new superintendent of schools. We are certain that Dr. Bracy will lead our school system to high achievement. Dr. Bracy’s extensive experience as a superintendent and his extensive track record of improving student achievement as well as his accomplishments in improving the financial well-being of his current school district made his selection a clear, strong choice.”
Dr. Bracy has enjoyed a long and very successful career in public education spanning more than 20 years in North Carolina, including serving 12 years as a superintendent.
For the last six years, since 2014, he has been the superintendent of Sampson County Schools. Under his leadership, Sampson County Schools have dramatically improved student performance. In the past three years, Sampson County Schools has been ranked 18th (2016-17), 15th (2017-18), and 16th (2018-19) in the state of North Carolina based on grade level proficiency, despite currently being ranked 103rd out of 115 school systems in terms of per pupil appropriations and supplemental taxes. During his tenure, all of the schools in Sampson County have come to meet or exceed expected growth. Further, when Dr. Bracy arrived in Sampson County, the school system was struggling financially. He and his team have brought Sampson County Schools back to financial health with good financial leadership. They now have a comfortable fund balance and are achieving more with less. In cutting funding, he was able to avoid staff layoffs by relying on retirements and resignations to achieve the needed personnel cuts.
Prior to assuming his current position, Dr. Bracy served as superintendent for Northampton County Schools for over five years. He also previously served as the executive director of student support services and as a principal for Durham Public Schools, and as a principal and assistant principal for Vance County Schools. Dr. Bracy began his career in public education as a fourth grade teacher in Northampton County.
Dr. Bracy has an impressive academic background as well. He received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from North Carolina Central University in Durham. He went on to earn a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va., and a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Dr. Bracy was recently honored with the 2020 Distinguished Educator Award by the North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development for his contributions in the areas of curriculum and instruction. He was honored in 2017 as both the North Carolina Association of Educators Superintendent of the Year and the Southeast Education Alliance regional Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Bracy was also a nominee for A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year in 2017.
Dr. Bracy looks forward to the opportunity to lead Johnston County Public Schools and to become an active and engaged member of the Johnston County community. He is married to his wife, Janelle, who is a kindergarten teacher, and together they have three daughters: Cameron, Courtney, and Camille.
“I am excited about joining Johnston County Public Schools,” said Dr. Bracy. “Johnston County Public Schools has a rich tradition of excellence, and I am honored that the board has selected me to lead the district.”
