Schools' top official a finalist for award
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 17, 2006 1:45 PM
Dr. Steven Taylor, superintendent of Wayne County Public Schools, has been named a finalist for the 2006 North Carolina Association of Educators' Superinten-dent of the Year award. He will be among those honored at the NCAE state banquet in Winston-Salem on March 23.
In making the announcement, Tasha Christian Adams, principal of Edgewood Community Developmental School and a vice president of NCAE, said the organization presents several awards each year. In addition to the superintendent category, the outstanding principal, assistant principal and central office person of the year also will be named.
Taylor, 48, became superintendent of the school system in May 2000. Prior to that, he had served as assistant superintendent of human resources and personnel director and was principal at Eureka Elementary for one year.
A native of Wayne County, he graduated from Charles B. Aycock High School in 1976. He began his career as a teacher at Tarboro High School and Warren County High School. After obtaining his doctorate in education in 1984, he became coordinator of transportation and driver's education for Greenville City Schools.
Taylor and his wife, Pam, have two children, Natalie and Steven.
Wayne County Association of Educational Office Professionals have twice named him administrator of the year. He has also been named Citizen of the Year by Woodmen of the World and, under his leadership, the school system received the 2005 National Civic Star Award for the WISH school-based health centers.
Board of Education Chairman John P. Grantham said the board was pleased to learn of Taylor's nomination -- and with their choice for the leadership of Wayne County schools.
"We feel we made a good choice when we selected a homegrown superintendent rather than going outside for one," Grantham said. "We wish him the best of luck."