Ivey retiring as Partnership director, successor sought
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 2, 2018 3:05 AM
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Charlie Ivey, executive director of Partnership for Children of Wayne County for the past seven years, has announced that he will retire at the end of the year.
The Partnership for Children of Wayne County has begun its search for a new executive director, on the heels of Charles Ivey announcing his retirement at year's end.
Ivey, a 35-year educator -- 23 of them at Spring Creek Elementary School -- retired from Wayne County Public Schools in late June 2011, stepping into the role as executive director of the Partnership one month later.
His retirement from the Partnership will take effect Jan. 1.
The Partnership is a non-profit agency, the mission of which is to give children from birth to age 5 a strong start toward becoming educated, healthy and self-reliant citizens. It provides support to children and families by connecting them to resources in early care, education, health and support services. Among its programs are Parents as Teachers, Safe Kids and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
The new executive director will providing leadership of those activities, with responsibilities also including strategic planning, community collaboration, oversight of a $5 million budget and supervision of 15 employees, officials said. The director works under the direction of an 18-member board of directors, which also oversees the county's Smart Start, NC Pre-K and other local programs.
Ivey said he has enjoyed his role for the past seven years and looks forward to handing over the reins to his successor.
"What I would like to see is someone to carry on this great program that we already have," he said. "There's such a need. I think one of the things that I'm most proud of is our involvement in early childhood literacy and the importance of parents communicating to their children, reading to their children."
He said he sees a growing emphasis on infant and toddler care and development, both in families and the child care arena.
"It's an economic issue. It's an educational issue. It's a social issue, and I think it needs to be addressed," he said. "Because a child's brain is developed by the time they're 3 years old, research has shown how important those three years are. We have very little services for that age group.
"I would like to see my successor and the Partnership in general address those issues in Wayne County."
Many believe that education begins with the child starts school, Ivey said. But education and development begin at birth.
As the Partnership approaches its 20th anniversary in November, he said there is much to be proud of, and he hopes to highlight that both formally and informally in the coming months.
Ivey has often joked that he began his career in education at the top "and worked his way down."
"I started my career (teaching) high school, came to Spring Creek when it was a junior high, helped build Spring Creek Elementary School and since my retirement have worked my way down (to the youngest segment)," he said. "But at the same time I have realized that every level depends on the previous level.
"We used to kid about it -- high school teachers would blame junior high teachers; junior high teachers would blame elementary; elementary would blame parents. But I have noticed we spend a tremendous amount of time playing catch-up."
During his stint at the Partnership, he said he has learned much about working with preschoolers. There is a growing need to front-load the process, focusing on infants and toddlers.
"The younger we can get started, the better off we are," Ivey said.
Officials at the Partnership are advertising for the position. Applications can be obtained from the Partnership office, 800 S. William Street, or online at www.pfcw.org. Applications, cover letters and references are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 14.
Criteria posted for the position includes a bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, public policy, education, human services or a business-related field. A master's degree in preferred. Candidates must have had at least three year's experience in management, with experience in personnel and financial administration required. Fundraising/grant writing and non-profit board experience are also preferred.