In Forsyth County, N.C., Superintendent Tricia McManus of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools announced her decision to retire on Tuesday evening following a tenure of five years within the district.
She mentioned she is taking a step back to allocate more time for her family.
She plans to complete this school year before heading back to her hometown of Tampa, Florida. During her 30-year tenure with the Hillsborough County School District, she began her career as a teacher and later advanced to become an assistant superintendent.
In 2020, McManus assumed the role of deputy superintendent in Winston-Salem, and then in 2021, she was named as the superintendent.
"Thanks for giving me the chance to guide the remarkable students and faculty in this wonderful community where I've lived for the last half-decade. It has been a pleasure connecting with and assisting countless students, parents, and residents as we strive toward achieving our goals of superior education, teamwork, and openness," stated McManus in a communication handed over to the School Board.
The announcement follows a chaotic period in the WS/FCS district over the past few months.
A dispute arose regarding when to close schools due to winter weather conditions during snowy and icy periods when local roads were affected three times.
In March, allegations of mistreatment surfaced regarding a pre-K class at Sedge Garden Elementary School, affecting five children. Following this incident, both the school’s principal and an involved teaching assistant were dismissed from their positions, and surveillance cameras were subsequently placed in all pre-K classrooms. In response to these revelations, McManus stated that the district aimed to restore community confidence.
Later in March, a third controversy emerged. An audit report revealed a $5 million deficit, which required immediate action to mitigate, including reassigning central office positions, cutting take-home district vehicles and considering furloughs for other high-ranking staffers, among other changes to save money.
Recently, McManus addressed FOX8 this month regarding safety issues following instances where law enforcement was summoned to two distinct educational institutions within the WS/FCS district due to student-related occurrences.
On April 7, an incident at Glenn High School led to a student being hospitalized due to a stabbing. Earlier, on March 19, law enforcement was called to Carver High School following reports that students had been threatened with gunfire.
These latest events are sparking worries regarding security in the schools of this district.
FOX8 recently received an update from McManus regarding the measures being implemented to guarantee student safety at schools.
McManus stated that the district has already spent considerable resources on security measures and will keep doing this.
"We were at Glenn approximately eight weeks ago... The children explicitly told the visitors at that time that they felt very secure in their school," McManus stated.
McManus mentioned that she has visited every high school within the district this academic year and has encouraged members of the community to tour these institutions should they have any worries regarding safety.
"The concern over safety and ensuring school security has been prioritized for the past five years... You will notice this through various implemented procedures, which cover aspects of protection as well as prevention," stated McManus.
She mentioned that the district has consistently been working on implementing enhanced safety measures at schools. These efforts encompass improved security cameras, restricted entry points for both students and staff to access school buildings, as well as weapon detection systems.
"We've been advocating for the implementation of the Open Gate system due to its efficiency and reduced manpower requirements...That's precisely why we're making this push...Currently, all schools equipped with Open Gate perform daily weapon detections. In contrast, institutions without it rely on sporadic checks which serve as a deterrent but utilize older, traditional methods like basic metal detectors," explained McManus.
The district will keep openness with families whenever these situations happen.
"We aim to communicate as promptly as possible… These communication strategies are developed alongside our heroes and our law enforcement collaborators… Whenever we have information to disseminate, we will," McManus stated.
In April, the school board sanctioned additional funds for expanding the implementation of Open Gate weapons detection systems across more school premises within the district.
Local officials mentioned this as an additional measure to guarantee student safety while at school.
While at WS/FCS, McManus managed the district’s transition back to in-person learning following the COVID-19 pandemic and advocated for efforts aimed at academic recuperation.
McManus stated that she feels a sense of pride regarding the achievements of the district over the past five years. These accomplishments include enhanced performance in mathematics and literacy, the district attaining an all-time high graduation rate, as well as growth in both the enrollment of students of color in Advanced Placement classes and their acquisition of at least three Career Technical Education certifications.
During her time in office, the district saw a 68% rise in the number of students participating in dual enrollment programs at Forsyth Technical Community College, as stated in a WS/FCS press release.
She similarly applauded decreases in long-term absences, the increased availability of mental health services for students, and the implementation of a disciplinary alternative to suspension program. This initiative apparently resulted in 73% of involved students not receiving any additional behavioral referrals once they returned to school.
We have established a base for both equal education opportunities and high-quality learning, and my hope is that WS/FCS thrives moving forward. The capabilities of our students are immense," stated McManus. "I encourage you all to keep investing your efforts daily into these students without letting numerous distractions hinder doing what’s correct. It must be ensured that no student slips through the gaps.
The Board of Education has scheduled a meeting for April 28 to talk about bringing on an interim superintendent. McManus will remain involved with the board during this transitional phase.
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