Dr. Jerry Oates reflects on time as educator in Cape Fear Region before moving to state level
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — After leading the district for five years, the superintendent of Brunswick County Schools is taking a new job next month.
Dr. Jerry Oates took on the role of Brunswick County Schools superintendent in October 2018. He joined the district in 2015 as the executive director of human resources and was promoted to associate superintendent in 2017.
While Oates says there was no other district in the state he wanted to lead, an opportunity came knocking and he will soon be working on the state level as deputy state superintendent of public instruction.
“Being able to touch more folks at the state level and hopefully make a change that could not only benefit the southeast region but education as a whole in North Carolina was the impetus behind that move,” Oates said.
Prior to working in Brunswick County, Oates taught in Duplin and New Hanover counties before moving into leadership roles in New Hanover. A range of experience he plans to take with him to the state level.
“Effective leadership is really based upon the relationships with the people that you’re serving,” Oates said. “Understanding that a lot of folks just want to be heard.”
Now, Oates plans to lend a listening ear to educators and students on a broader scale; particularly focusing on addressing the learning loss that happened during the pandemic. This is something he wishes he had more time to address in Brunswick.
“We have some things in place I think that will pull us head and shoulders above the region and be a model for the state as well,” he said.
Inarguably a challenge, Oates says he is proud to have led the district through the pandemic. Looking back, he believes the decisions they made as a district were in the best interest of the students. Specifically noting that BCS was one of the first districts to get students back into the classroom for face-to-face learning.
“I have said to my principals and other leaders across the state, anyone that can lead in any leadership position whether it’s education whether it’s the private sector, during a pandemic you have served well,” he said. “As we have said numerous times before, it was uncharted territory. No one knew where we were stepping, we were just stepping out on faith and making the best decisions with the information that we had.”
Though proud to lead through the unknown waters that were the pandemic, his proudest accomplishment is having a part in hiring 20 principals whom he calls phenomenal leaders.
“It comes down to the leadership in your schools. As to how the leadership and the morale and the overall feeling will be for the district,” Oates said. “If you have a leader in place that is effective in your schools, that trickles down to your students.”
While his time as the district’s leader is coming to an end, Oates says he is grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the students of Brunswick County. His last day in office will be February 20.
Former Superintendent Les Tubb, who Oates succeeded, has been selected as interim superintendent.
