Pender County Schools superintendent named 2027 NC Superintendent of the Year
GREENSBORO, NC (WWAY) — Pender County Schools Superintendent Dr. Brad Breedlove has been named the 2027 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year.
Breedlove received the statewide honor Thursday, Oct. 8, during a ceremony at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro. He was selected from eight regional Superintendents of the Year after being named the Region 2 — Southeast Superintendent of the Year.
Breedlove is the first superintendent from Pender County Schools to receive the statewide award.
Pender County Board of Education Vice Chair Jennifer Hansen said the award recognizes both Breedlove’s leadership and the work of district employees.
“To have the first-ever Superintendent of the Year coming from Pender County Schools is just a testament to the hard work and dedication of all of our staff,” Hansen said.
Breedlove has served as superintendent of Pender County Schools since January 2023. During his tenure, the district has focused on academic growth, student opportunities, strategic planning and the needs of a growing community.
Before joining Pender County Schools, Breedlove held several leadership positions with Union County Public Schools, including chief academic officer, director of school performance, principal and teacher. He was named North Carolina Principal of the Year in 2014.
Breedlove also played football at Duke University and professionally in the Canadian Football League before working at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and later entering education.
The A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year Award is presented by the North Carolina Association of School Administrators and the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association, with support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The award recognizes leadership and service to North Carolina’s public schools.
Breedlove will represent North Carolina in the 2027 National Superintendent of the Year competition at the American Association of School Administrators’ National Conference on Education in Atlanta, scheduled for Feb. 25-27, 2027.
