Dr. Michael Priddy has joined the Pamlico County Schools family to serve as Interim Superintendent while the search is on for a new superintendent.  The position was vacated last month, by outgoing superintendent Rick Sherrill who took a position in Burke County in order to be closer to his family.

Dr. Priddy retired from a 35-year career in education which began as a math teacher in Northampton County, N.C., and culminated with Superintendent of Pitt County Schools in Greenville, N.C.  During those years, Priddy served in just about every capacity of leadership in North Carolina school systems, having spent the bulk of his career in Guilford County.

Since "retiring", Dr. Priddy has focused his efforts on helping numerous school systems through his work with E-rate.  He has also served as interim superintendent in a rural North Carolina system while they searched for a permanent superintendent.   While Dr. Priddy has expertise in all facets of school system knowledge and management, he brings a much-needed understanding to the table of the importance of building partnerships for success in education.  He has built successful partnerships with business communities through chambers of commerce as well as faith and minority communities.  In 2003, he was a leader in the creation of North Carolina's first Business-Education Compact in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Priddy's keen understanding of workforce development needs led to his partnering with Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Pitt Community College and East Carolina University to create the "Health Sciences Academy" in Pitt County.  This cutting-edge program continues to produce high school graduates ready for careers or higher education in health care.  He is currently leading a volunteer task force for the Golden Leaf Foundation to study the feasibility of math and science high schools in Eastern and Western North Carolina. 

Governor Michael Easley awarded Dr. Priddy the prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2005, and he is the recipient of a long list of awards.  He was Healthy Schools Superintendent of the Year in 2005 and received the Outstanding Educator Award from the North Carolina PTA in 2003.  He was inducted into the Educators Hall of Fame at East Carolina University in 2002.  In 2003 and 2005, respectively, he received the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Outstanding Service to Humanity from the Pitt County Black Ministers Conference and the NAACP Community Service Award.

Dr. Priddy is a three-time graduate from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, having earned his doctorate in education in 1981.  His Curriculum Vita lists more than 40 publications, reports and national presentations.  Pamlico County Schools welcomes Dr. Michael Priddy!