Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr., Superintendent of Cumberland County Schools, and Dr. Marcie Holland, recently retired Senior Director of Human Resources for Wake County Public Schools, have been co-awarded the North Carolina Association of School Administrators’ (NCASA) 2022 Raymond Sarbaugh Leadership Award. This award, named in honor of NCASA’s first full-time Executive Director, the late Raymond Sarbaugh, is given annually to an NCASA member or members who show outstanding leadership in public school service, as well as commitment to enhancing and supporting the efforts of fellow school administrators and NCASA. Drs. Connelly and Holland have continued to show exceptional leadership in their fields throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and their efforts have undoubtedly led to positive outcomes for schools and the students they serve across the state.
Dr. Connelly has worked in public education in North Carolina for over 25 years, serving as a special education teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, chief of staff, and most recently, Superintendent in Cumberland County. In this role, Dr. Connelly has led the district through unprecedented times, while also developing the district’s first ever five-year strategic plan to help improve learning and life outcomes for every student. Along with displaying outstanding leadership in his district, Dr. Connelly has been a leading voice for his fellow superintendents and other school leaders through his service in the NC Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (NCASCD) and the NC School Superintendents’ Association (NCSSA). He was also recently named the first ever National Superintendent Chair for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Dr. Holland has established herself as a valuable resource for Human Resource professionals and for education advocates when working on legislation and policy issues affecting school personnel. A former member of the NCASA Board of Directors, she also served as President and Public Information Officer of the Personnel Administrators of North Carolina (PANC), sharing critical and timely information for HR professionals statewide, especially throughout the pandemic. She also has been a leading voice for personnel directors through her service at the state level on the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC) and its subcommittees, the NC Principal Fellows Commission, and much more. Her work has resulted in changes to teacher and administrator licensure, school business modernization, employee recruitment and retention, and the establishment of meaningful partnerships with education preparation programs.
“We are pleased to have the opportunity to recognize not one but two leaders among leaders within NCASA’s membership,” says NCASA Executive Director Katherine Joyce. “These individuals have represented the interests of superintendents and human resource officials across the state, and we are grateful for their many years of service to our public schools.”
