The North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association (NCSSA) and the North Carolina Alliance for School Leadership Development (NCASLD) have announced the selection of Mrs. Jessica Anderson as a recipient of the Dr. Samuel Houston Leadership Award. This annual award is presented to a graduate of the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association Aspiring Superintendent Program, a program which is designed to empower transformational education leaders for North Carolina’s public schools.
The award is named in honor of Dr. Samuel Houston who is President and Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center. Dr. Houston served as superintendent of the Mooresville Graded School District for ten years where he opened the first year-round school in North Carolina. Dr. Houston has been a champion for strategic planning, student performance and accountability, meeting the needs of the 21st century workforce, skills for the STEM world and building education partnerships. Dr. Houston also served as the first executive director of the University of North Carolina Center for Leadership Development.
Dr. Houston was awarded the Jay Robinson Leadership Award as an Exemplary Educator for his outstanding contributions to statewide public K–12 education. He also earned the RJR-Nabisco Foundation’s China Breaker Award for implementing educational change. He has been inducted into the Appalachian State University Reich College of Education’s Rhododendron Society and the East Carolina University’s Education Hall of Fame and has received the Distinguished Career Award from the University of North Carolina – Greensboro School of Education. He received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in December of 2024.
Mr. Jack Hoke, Executive Director of the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association said that Mrs. Anderson exemplifies the traits that have guided Dr. Samuel Houston’s career in educational leadership.
She has a commitment to continuous improvement, high standards of ethical conduct, strategic planning, improving student performance and meeting the needs of the 21st century workforce.
Jessica Anderson serves as the Executive Director of Exceptional Children and Student Services for Alexander County Schools and has more than 22 years of experience in public education. In this role, she provides leadership for programs that support students with disabilities and works with district and school leaders to strengthen systems that ensure all students have access to high-quality educational opportunities. Anderson is dedicated to the mission of public education and to supporting educators, families, and students in achieving positive outcomes.
Anderson holds master’s degrees in Anthropology and School Administration and Curriculum from East Carolina University and maintains multiple professional licenses in education and school leadership. She currently serves as the North Carolina Council of Administrators of Special Education (NC CASE) Region 7 Representative. Anderson was recently named a recipient of the North Carolina Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Doctoral Academic Scholarship, recognizing her commitment to educational leadership and continued professional growth as she completes her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Alexander County Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill Griffin shared, “I consider myself extremely fortunate to have Jessica Anderson part of our Leadership Team. Hearing that she has been honored by other dignified state leaders does not shock me. I believe every professional endeavor that Jessica engages in is always completed with a high level of commitment to providing quality results. She constantly produces notable work, but does it with a smile, laughter, and displays a positive attitude that is infectious with coworkers and peers. Jessica’s devotion to ACS students and staff can be easily seen, and for that, we are grateful.”
Anderson said of the award and the program, “This program provided an incredible opportunity to learn from veteran and outstanding North Carolina Superintendents, while learning and collaborating with public education’s next great leaders from across the state. This program reflects investment in cultivating the leadership of North Carolina’s public schools and reaffirms a shared commitment to students, families, and communities. I am deeply honored to be recognized among such dedicated leaders as a recipient of the Dr. Samuel Houston Leadership Award.”