Dr. Darrin Hartness
Dr. Hartness Appointed by Unanimous Vote
The Davie County Board of Education has selected Dr. Darrin Hartness as its new superintendent of schools by a unanimous vote! Dr. Hartness is currently the superintendent of the Mount Airy City Schools, a position he has held since January, 2008. The board, the school system and the community are extremely fortunate to be able to hire someone with Dr. Hartness’ experience, skills and abilities.
A Wealth of Experience
In his nearly two decades as an educator in North Carolina Schools, Dr. Hartness has been a high school teacher in Rowan-Salisbury Schools, an elementary principal in Cleveland County Schools, and has held leadership positions in technology at the central office level for Stanly County Schools and Cleveland County Schools. Before serving as superintendent in Mount Airy, he was assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Cleveland County Schools. He also taught as an adjunct professor at UNC-Charlotte for several years.
A Track Record of Excellence Results
This year, Mount Airy High School was one of nine high schools selected by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to represent the state as a 2011 National Blue Ribbon School Nominee. The U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools that have improved student achievement to high levels, especially among disadvantaged students. At Mount Airy High School, student academic performance last year was the highest of any traditional high school in a five county region. The percentage of students proficient on end-of-course tests increased from 78.1% in 2005 to 91.6% in 2010, earning the school recognition as an Honor School of Excellence. In addition, the school district has been recognized as one of the ten school districts in the state with the highest graduation rates.
Award Winning Leadership
An award-winning educator, Dr. Hartness was named the 2009 Outstanding Young Educator by the North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development in recognition of his exemplary commitment and exceptional contributions to the education profession. Among other honors and recognitions, he has received the Apple Distinguished Educator award and was named the North Carolina Technology Educator of the Year in 1997. In 2007, he received the Champion for Children Award from the Cleveland County Partnership for Children. He was a finalist for the 2011 A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year Award. He also serves on the State Superintendent’s Technology Advisory Council and last year was appointed by Governor Beverly Perdue to the North Carolina eLearning Commission. Dr. Hartness was part of the first class of North Carolina Teaching Fellows, and the first Teaching Fellow to serve as a North Carolina superintendent.
Dr. Hartness earned his Ed.D in Educational Leadership and M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction/Instructional Systems Technology from UNC-Charlotte. He also holds a B.S. in Technology/Secondary Education from Appalachian State University.
Please Join Us in Welcoming Dr. Hartness and His Family to Davie County
Dr. Hartness and his wife Lisa have been married for 21 years and are the parents of two daughters, Madison and Molly, ages 15 and 12. Lisa is a graduate of the Davie County School System. In his spare time, Dr. Hartness enjoys spending time with his family, woodworking, and golf.
“I am tremendously honored to be chosen by the Board of Education to serve Davie County Schools,” Dr. Hartness said. “I look forward to meeting students, staff, parents, and community members and listening to their ideas and perspectives. Davie County Schools has a track record of excellence, and my goal is to support teachers and staff to provide a first class education for all of the children we serve. As my family and I move to Davie County, we are excited about being part of a community that supports education. Together we can work to ensure Davie County Schools is the best school district in NC and a leader in the nation; our children deserve it!”
