Verletta White makes history as first Black woman to hold the position
By all indications Verletta White is a consummate educator who in her 28 years in the field has served as teacher, principal, mentor, developer and a multi-level administrator with a burning desire to promote continuous student achievement through high quality instruction and inclusiveness.
On July 1, White will be bringing her experience to Roanoke City Public Schools as the new superintendent–succeeding Rita Bishop who retires after 13 years as school superintendent.
White is the first African American woman to serve in the position that oversees the area’s 28 schools with reportedly 13,788 students enrolled.
White most recently served as the interim superintendent for Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS), the 25th largest school system in the nation. Superintendent White focused on literacy across all subject areas, equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all students. She also put tremendous emphasis on positive, safe, and healthy school climates, which are essential to support effective teaching and learning in every classroom.
White began her career in 1992 as an elementary teacher with BCPS. She worked her way through the system and rose through the ranks ultimately chief academic officer, assistant superintendent for elementary schools, area assistant superintendent for the Northeast Area, and executive director of professional development.
Currently she is finishing her doctoral dissertation in Urban Educational Leadership at Morgen State University and anticipates earning her Ph.D. in December of 2020.
The Baltimore, Md. native attended Baltimore County Public Schools. BCPS is the 25th largest school district in the country. I was looking to serve a city that cares deeply about children, each other, and high-quality instruction. I hoped to find a place where the people are kind, friendly, and genuine.
White earned degrees from Towson Univ., Towson, MD and at College of Notre Dame of Md. and is currently finishing a doctoral dissertation at Morgan State University.
As RCPS superintendent, White says her number one priority is “ensuring a safe and healthy environment for our students and staff members. As we consider the best approach to managing the unique and evolving challenges of COVID-19, and resuming on-site schooling, this is essential.”
Stressing her focus on the underrepresented White noted, “Under my leadership, all students will have the benefit of high-quality instruction. As a district, we will maintain high expectations for all students and will do everything possible to make sure that all kids have access to high-quality content, curriculum, and programs. I will meet with you. I will listen to you. I will hear you and I will look for institutionalized practices that may need to be disrupted to better serve your children. Together, we will bring diverse voices and experiences to the forefront to make sure we are preparing all students for the future that awaits them.
In her first interview with city officials, White explained various aspects critical to achieving a successful kick-off as head of RCPS.
“My first 100 days will center on forming, assessing, and developing strategies that can have real, measurable and meaningful community impact. Again, my leadership style is based on relationships; therefore, it will be critical for me to begin forming strong positive relationships from the start,” White explained.
White also noted her plan to assess school system operations to gain a firm grasp on “current initiatives and priorities across both instructional and operational sides of the house.”
Wrapping up her plans for the initial start of her rein, she noted, “Most importantly, my first 100 days will include developing clear, transparent, and focused plans to support students’ health, safety, and academic needs.
“I will prioritize efforts based on my best understanding of how we, as a school district, can provide the maximum benefit to all of our children, but much of my knowledge and understanding will come from conversations and insights.” White said emphasizing her commitment to a comprehensive approach in her position.
In her closing comments she said “When we respect each other’s contributions we all grow in our understanding and our capabilities and we start to model the kind of world we all want for our children.
The BCPS graduate has a master’s degree in leadership and teaching from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, a bachelor’s in education from Towson University and is presently a doctoral candidate in urban educational leadership at Morgan State University.
In one of her many roles in education, White has served as a consultant to the BCPS superintendent from July 2019 until June 2020 when she assumes her position as RCPS school superintendent.
Major source of information gleaned from RCPS website, et.al.
