Superintendent of Hertford County Schools for being named NERESA Superintendent of the Year! He will compete against other NC superintendents for State Superintendent of the Year. Congratulations and job well done
Biography
Dr. Ethan Lenker The Pitt County Board of Education announced the selection and appointment of Dr. Ethan Lenker as the superintendent of Pitt County Schools on July 15, 2013. Dr. Lenker has spent nearly 34 years working in the field of education, with more than 17 years of superintendent experience. Prior to position in Pitt County, he served as superintendent in Sampson County and in Jones County. In addition, he also has experience as a Central Office Director, Principal, and Assistant Principal in North Carolina, as well as a Calculus and Physics teacher in Virginia. Dr. Lenker has an impressive and well-rounded educational background. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics Education from Virginia Tech and later returned to obtain hisMaster of Arts in Education Administration. In 2006, Dr. Lenker received his Doctorate of Education from East Carolina University. He has also studied at the Virginia Highlands Community College, the University of Virginia and North Carolina State University. During his prestigious career, Dr. Lenker has often been recognized for his scholarship and leadership. He is a published scholar and has been asked to present or speak as part of a panel at many national education conferences. He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the following: • 2002 Jones County Principal of the Year, • 2012 North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA) Southeast Superintendent of the Year, • 2015 North Carolina Association of Educators Superintendent of the Year, • 2017 Dr. Brad Sneeden Leadership Award, NCSSA Next Generation Superintendent Development Program, • 2018 Central Carolina Regional Education Services Alliance (CCRESA) Superintendent of the Year finalist, • 2019 Northeast Regional Education Services Alliance (NERESA) Superintendent of the Year finalist. Dr. Lenker has started and led many successful initiatives and programs including the creation of advanced teaching roles, 2 Early College High Schools, numerous STEM labs, including 2 North Carolina STEM Schools of Distinction, 20 AVID schools, Pitt County Virtual Academy, 3 dual language immersion programs, a technical academy and 7 thematic schools, while obtaining various federal grants and overseeing award-winning schools. Under Dr. Lenker’s leadership, the Pitt County Schools graduating rate during the 2021 academy year was 86.7%. Dr. Lenker is known as an open and responsive leader who is a good communicator and collaborator. He has been described as a visionary and a tireless worker who is deeply committed to his work, his staff, and his students. He loves to be out in the schools daily, actively monitoring success and affecting change. Dr. Lenker has been married to his wife, Alice, for nearly 30 years. The couple has two children, Eleanor and Alexandra.
