Alamance-Burlington school board voted 6-1 during a special-called meeting Monday afternoon to hire Dr. Aaron Fleming, currently the superintendent of the Harnett County Schools, as the next superintendent for ABSS.
The vote of opposition came from board vice chairman Donna Westbrooks, who said she didn’t think it appropriate to appoint as superintendent someone who had not been a school principal.
Fleming will be paid an annual salary of $233,000, under the terms of his four-year employment contract with ABSS.
Fleming’s benefits package also includes: up to 96 hours per year in compensatory time (due to required attendance at night meetings as well as weekend work); a $1,000 monthly allowance for work-related travel “in lieu of a designated school system vehicle for job duties” and access to an ABSS vehicle for out-of-county travel related to work; a $15,000 annual contribution into an annuity or a retirement plan of his choice; a 6 percent contribution by ABSS to his state retirement; medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage; payment of dues for up to three professional or civic organizations; and a school system-issued cell phone.
His employment contract with ABSS gives no indication that Fleming would be eligible for any type of performance-based bonus as part of his annual performance evaluation by the school board.
A native of Rowan County, Fleming comes to ABSS after serving seven years as superintendent of Harnett County schools, which has approximately 19,800 students and 29 schools, he told The Alamance News Monday afternoon.
In comparison, ABSS has approximately 22,134 students enrolled in 34 traditional elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as the Alamance Virtual School; Alamance-Burlington Early College housed on Alamance Community College’s campus; the alternative school, Ray Street Academy; and the Career and Technical Education Center in Burlington where students go for specialty classes.
Fleming succeeds former superintendent Dr. Dain Butler, who resigned on March 4 of this year, after 22 months at the helm. Former ABSS superintendent Dr. Bill Harrison has since stepped in to serve as the interim superintendent until a permanent successor to Butler could be located.
School board chairman Sandy Ellington-Graves pointed out near the close of Monday’s special-called meeting that Fleming has 23 years in education, beginning his career as an agricultural education teacher and serving as a director of Career and Technical Education in multiple school systems. He also served two years as an education policy advisor to N.C. house speaker Tim Moore.
Ellington-Graves also said Monday that Fleming’s background in public school finance made him rise to the top of the applicant list. A consultant for the N.C. School Boards Association, which led the search for a new superintendent of ABSS, told school board members on May 28 that 34 applications had been submitted from candidates in 14 states, including North Carolina.
The new superintendent holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Wingate University; a master’s of school administration from Appalachian State University; and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education from N.C. State University.
Fleming was twice named the regional superintendent of the year for the Sandhills region, in 2021 and 2022.
Fleming is scheduled to begin work with ABSS on September 18, which coincides with the date on which Harrison’s six-month contract as interim expires.
Meanwhile, Fleming said during a brief, subsequent press conference Monday that, once he takes over as superintendent of ABSS, his first order of business will be to look at “what our next steps need to be with facilities [and] what our next steps need to be with renovations.”
Board’s vice chairman explains vote against hiring Fleming
Before to the board’s vote to hire Fleming, Westbrooks outlined the basis for why she intended to vote against. “When I first became a teacher, I knew the importance of surrounding myself with master teachers who were well-established in their craft, exceptional teachers, so that I could learn and grow as a successful teacher myself. They were once where I was as a beginning teacher, and their experience was invaluable.
“Fast-forward to when I decided to become an administrator,” said Westbrooks, who retired from the ABSS Central Office several years prior to winning a seat on the school board in November 2020. “I surrounded myself, once again, with experienced and well-established administrators for guidance and support. I also knew I could call upon a few of our superintendents and assistant superintendents if needed, and I did so. They had all been or were sitting in the seat of a principal, their advice and life experience were also invaluable.
“As the only educator on this board, maybe I am alone in my thoughts and beliefs,” Westbrooks said, “but I do feel that principals and even our assistant principals need to have a superintendent who has had that same experience – someone that they can call upon for advice and support because they’ve been there.
“Dr. Fleming does not have that experience,” Westbrooks added. “He was not a principal, and having prior experience as a principal ranked number two on the final survey summary for both community and staff. With that said, although I cannot support him with my vote today, and because I believe my fellow board members will all vote yes, I will support him as our new superintendent, with the understanding that he will always put our kids, staff, families, and community first when he makes decisions, and that he will, without question, have an open-door policy for our administrators. I actually hope I am proven wrong, because our school system depends on it.”
‘Hitting the reset button’
Meanwhile, school board member Ryan Bowden said the hiring of a new superintendent represented an opportunity for ABSS and the community to hit “reset.”
“Today, we’re hitting the reset button,” Bowden said in brief remarks prior to the board’s vote. “I ask our community partners, county commissioners, business partners, and everyone who represents ABSS – hit that same reset button with us today, and let’s move forward together.”
School board member Dan Ingle said, “Dr. Fleming comes to us and this county highly-respected [for his] seven-and-a-half years as superintendent, and he’s got a lot of principals that have been there for a lot of years – so they didn’t throw him out. He’s got a background in education, even though he hasn’t been a principal. He’s also got a business background. [With] what we’ve been through here recently, that’s a helpful thing, too.”
Voting in favor were: Ellington-Graves; Bowden; Ingle; and school board members Chuck Marsh, Dr. Charles Parker, and Seneca Rogers. Westbrooks voted against.
‘A leading superintendent in North Carolina’
After the vote, Ellington-Graves added, “[Fleming] brings knowledge and experience in curriculum development, school finance, education policy – and has been a leading superintendent in North Carolina since 2017.”
After the meeting, Ellington-Graves told The Alamance News that Fleming’s experience with school finance had tipped the scales for her, noting that he’d “doubled the fund balance” for Harnett County schools during his tenure as superintendent.
“We will continue providing opportunity for all students, ensuring that all school buildings are maintained and safe, and [that we] are the school district of choice to work for,” Fleming told an audience of about six dozen people, including community leaders and ABSS staff, after the board’s vote. “As a product of public schools in North Carolina, I know the importance of community support in preparing students for a bright tomorrow. Together, with the board of education and all of you, we will accomplish our goal in developing students for higher education, the world of work, or service to our country.”
During the press conference, Fleming outlined his top priorities after he takes over as superintendent in September, including tackling the ongoing budget deficit and likely aligning positions with state funding for those jobs.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of tough decisions in working with the board, working with our administrators to make sure that we’re able to stay within the budget,” Fleming said. “We really have to look at positions to see where we can rearrange individuals, but obviously we don’t want to lose anyone; we want to try to keep everyone in a position even though there may have to be some changes.
“Possibly through attrition [resignations and retirements} and some other avenues, we’re able to reassign folks,” Fleming said, adding that he’s not currently contemplating a reduction-in-force such as the one that Butler had recommended earlier this year. “The ultimate goal will be to have everyone continue in their positions.”
Asked how he could assure parents and students that they’ll have a safe, healthy environment to go to school in when the new school year begins on August 26, Fleming said, “I think our staff [is] already working on that, ensuring that schools are ready to go on day one. Then we’re being proactive in ensuring that these types of events don’t happen again,” he said, alluding to the mold contamination in 33 ABSS facilities that cost $27 million to remediate between August and September 2023.
Fleming told The Alamance News that he is “formerly married,” but not currently, and he has no children. He also told the newspaper that he intends to notify his board in Harnett County later Monday of his intent to resign as superintendent there and that he would be dividing his time between Alamance and Harnett counties, as he transitions into his new position as the next superintendent of ABSS.
