2021 – 2022
Cumberland County Schools
Principal of the Year
Portfolio
2021 – 2022 Cumberland County Schools’ Principal of the Year Portfolio
Congratulations! You’ve been selected by your principal colleagues as a finalist for the Cumberland County Schools’
2021 – 2022 Principal of the Year! The Principal of the Year (POY) portfolio is due to Betty Musselwhite by 4:00 p.m.,
September 17, 2021. All information should be submitted electronically in one PDF/Word form and copied to
pgallimore@ccs.k12.nc.us.
Limit responses to the number of pages specified and follow the guidelines of Times New Roman, 12 point font. Only
the number of pages specified will be accepted. The portfolio must be typed.
The electronic portfolio should be submitted in one PDF/Word file to pgallimore@ccs.k12.nc.us
Photographs, articles, or materials other than what are specified in the application should not be included.
The Principal of the Year finalists must provide all information requested in the portfolio/application packet. Incomplete
packets can not be accepted. Should you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Betty Musselwhite.
If you are selected to represent CCS as the 2021 – 2022 POY, your submitted packet will be shared with the Sandhills
Regional selection team. Interviews will be scheduled for Friday, October 1, 2021, so please block this date to be
available.
The interview team will make the selection of the Cumberland County School Principal of the Year. The announcement
will be made during a celebration hosted by Cumberland County Schools.
The Cumberland County School’s Principal of the Year will interview at the regional level for the 2022 Wells Fargo
Principal of the Year. Please visit the following link for more information on the Wells Fargo Principal of the Year
process: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/educators/eductor-recognition-programs
Wells Fargo Principal of the Year Portfolio Requirements
Section I. 2022 Local POY Basic Data Information, Educational History, and Professional Experiences
Local Principal of the Year (POY) Basic Data Information
REGION: Sandhills PSU: Cumberland County Schools
FIRST NAME: Dr. Shanessa LAST NAME: Fenner
NAME (THIS IS HOW IT WILL APPEAR FOR PUBLICITY PURPOSES):
PROFESSIONAL EMAIL: shanessafenner@ccs.k12.nc.us
ALTERNATE EMAIL: shanessafenner@yahoo.com
TWITTER HANDLE: @ShanessaF
HOME PHONE NUMBER: (910) 487-9603 MOBILE NUMBER: (910) 476-9603
HOME ADDRESS: 5710 Ivanhoe Court #8
CITY: Fayetteville STATE/ ZIP CODE: North Carolina 28314
RING SIZE: 5
TOTAL YEARS IN EDUCATION: 26
TOTAL YEARS OF ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE: 19
YEARS IN PRESENT POSITION: 8
GRADE LEVEL OF YOUR SCHOOL: Pre-k through 5th
SCHOOL NAME: William T. Brown Elementary School
SCHOOL PHONE NUMBER: (910) 497-1258 SCHOOL FAX NUMBER: (910) 497-0882
SCHOOL ADDRESS: 2522 Andrews Church Road
CITY: Spring Lake STATE/ ZIP CODE: North Carolina 28390
POY COORDINATOR NAME: Betty Musselwhite
POY COORDINATOR E M A I L : bettymusselwhite@ccs.k12.nc.us
POY COORDINATOR PHONE NUMBER: (910) 678-2317
PSU ADDRESS: 2465 Gillespie Street
CITY: Fayetteville STATE/ ZIP CODE: North Carolina 28306
SUPERINTENDENT’S NAME: Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr.
Educational History and Professional Experiences
A. Beginning with the most recent, list colleges and universities attended including post-graduate studies. Indicate degrees earned and dates of
attendance.
B. Beginning with the most recent, list certifications earned.
C. Beginning with the most recent, list education employment history indicating title, organization and years.
D. Beginning with the most recent, list staff development leadership activities and leadership activities in the training of beginning or future teachers.
E. Beginning with the most recent, list awards and other recognition of your leadership.
F. Beginning with the most recent, list professional association memberships including information regarding offices held and other relevant activities.
A. Education
School Name Degree Major Years Attended
Fayetteville State University Doctor of Education (Ed. D) Educational Leadership 2006-2010
Fayetteville State University Master of School School Administration 2000-2002
Administration (MSA) (NC Principal Fellow)
Fayetteville State University Master of Arts in Education Elementary Education 1994-1998
(MA)
North Carolina Central Bachelor of Arts (BA) Elementary Education 1989-1994
University
B. Certifications
Certification Year Obtained
School Administrator, Principal 2002
Elementary Education (K-6) 1994
C. Educational Experience
Title Organization Years in Position
Principal William T. Brown Elementary School 8
Principal Alger B. Wilkins Elementary School 3
Principal Ireland Drive Middle School 3
Principal Mae Rudd Williams Kindergarten 1
School
Assistant Principal R. Max Abbott Middle School 4
D. Leadership Experience
Position Organization Years in Position
PBIS Framework, Wit & Wisdom, Cumberland County Schools 8
enVision Training
School Improvement Team Cumberland County Schools 8
MTSS Team
Istation, Successmaker, mClass Cumberland County Schools 8
Training, Technology Training
Staff Development Sessions on Cumberland County Schools 8
Cultural Proficiency and Equity
New Teacher Orientation Meetings, Cumberland County Schools 8
Best Practices, Curriculum, Data
E. Awards and Recognitions
Award Recognition Year Received
Purple Star Award 2021
Women’s History Month “Hometown Shero” ABC 11WTVD 2021
Exceeding Growth Award (I was one of five elementary schools to exceed 2018-2019
growth in 2018-2019 on the End Of Grade Test) 2017-2018
Superintendent Award for Reading Rocks 2019
Superintendent Award “Top 10 Per Capita” for Reading Rocks 2017 & 2018
North Carolina Positive Behavior Intervention & Support (PBIS) Initiative 2017-2018; 2016-2017; 2015-2016
Model School 2014-2015
North Carolina Title I Reward School (Highest Performing School in the 2013-2014
state of North Carolina) “High Progress School”
F. Professional Organization Membership (ie: NCAE; PENC; National Council of Teacher s of Mathematics)
Professional Organizational Membership
Cumberland County Association of Principals and Assistant Principals
National Alliance of Black School Educators
National Association of Elementary School Principals
North Carolina Association of Educators
The Cumberland County Chapter of the Fayetteville State University National Alumni Association
1. I am a National Board Certified
Teacher. X No
Yes
2. I am a North Carolina Teaching
Fellow. X No
Yes
(Section II Instructional Excellence and Alignment) What processes are in place to ensure
instructional practice that is intellectually challenging, authentic to student experiences,
recognizes student strengths, and is differentiated and personalized?
One process is grade level planning and PLC meetings where we work in tandem to prepare
compelling instruction, examine lesson plans to ensure alignment to core instructional resources,
unpack standards across content areas, outline pacing, analyze evidences of student learning,
disaggregate multiple measures of student performance data, develop differentiated data-driven
small groups, and formulate a plan for the use of high-yield instructional strategies. Our teachers
are provided deep, tangible ongoing professional development opportunities about these
instructional strategies to create optimal teaching and learning conditions in the classroom as
well as develop a shared knowledge base. We conduct a collaborative examination of the
practices and reflect on them after they have been implemented in the classroom setting. I also
have teachers observe other teachers while they are teaching in order to improve their learning
and teaching. Our two instructional coaches model and co-teach lessons with teachers to help
build a vision of effective instruction. Teachers create authentic and meaningful learning
experiences that are robust, civic, engaging, fuels imagination and creativity, builds upon their
students’ unique life experiences, and challenges them to perform at their highest level of ability.
It is the level of opportunity that we give students to take their learning beyond what they do in
the classroom and apply that knowledge to real-world challenges. When tasks are relevant and
relatable, students are able to make connections across content areas and find more meaning in
their quest to learn. I conduct teacher observations and provide detailed, immediate, and
actionable feedback. I observe the ambience of the classroom, see if the standard aligns with the
activity, the use of Canvas, best practices, integration of technology, high-yield strategies,
differentiated processes, anchor charts, journals, CCS approved materials/links, scaffolding,
teacher modeling, pacing, student collaboration, teacher’s level of questioning, use of academic
vocabulary, flexible small group instruction, and more. I also record teachers teaching and I sit
with the teacher and we view the recording together while having a candid conversation about
their instructional delivery practices in order to help pave the way for effective instruction. With
personalized and differentiated instruction, my teachers address students’ unique educational
needs and learning styles, use a variety of tools, resources, and strategies that are tailored to
students’ interests that allows children to make decisions, suggestions, and control their own
academic experiences. Purposeful progress monitoring takes place weekly and allows teachers to
make data-based decisions about changing the strategy if the original intervention is not working.
Teachers create an environment that recognizes student’s strengths. Students discover their
strengths and the teacher uses students’ strengths to build and work on the challenging areas in
ways that are not as discouraging and frustrating to the student. My teachers provide an
exceptional environment that entails rigorous teaching and learning, evidence-based practices,
authentic connections, turning challenges into opportunities, and a space for cutting-edge
innovation by reimagining things they never thought of in order to prepare our students to be
collaborative, competitive and successful citizens in our global world for the common good.
(Section III Leadership Capacity) How does your school leadership foster an atmosphere of
trust and mutual respect within the school?
My servant leadership style fosters an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect within the school
with me, first and foremost, leading by example. Trust is built over time from within and I have a
contagious and authentic energy that sets the tone for creating a positive environment that
inspires people to want to show up, give the best of themselves each day and are united for
student success. My headship plays a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for professionalism,
high standards, holding teachers accountable, and making my staff family feel valued and
respected. I am competent in solving problems, improving instruction, obtaining high student
growth data, and getting the job done. I am a consummate workaholic with an unyielding
commitment to my job. I am a great listener with a huge heart, very genuine, and transparent.
With my unrelenting passion, I have created the climate at W. T. Brown as safe, inviting, a
culture of academic optimism and excellence, and a shared purpose that permeates throughout
the school. My attitude is consistent and I am very visible, approachable, and accessible at all
times. My staff trusts me to keep their concerns and personal problems private. Everyone knows
that their membership matters because we have a shared vision, make important decisions
collectively as a team and we have an effective problem-solving process. Professional learning
communities are anchored in trust and teamwork. Teachers share their expertise and learn from
one another. I allow them to take risks, pioneer new ideas and display fearless creativity in the
classroom. My teachers, students, and parents have a shared vision on the expectation of learning
and they are aware of the actions that must be taken to ensure the implementation of the vision.
Our School Improvement Team (SIT) is the root of our shared leadership and vision that solicits
broad input from the staff. Trust builds employee engagement and I have established a propitious
setting where my staff feels comfortable asking questions, expressing their thoughts, and sharing
innovative ideas. I empower and entrust them in leadership roles that optimize their professional
capacity. Consistent and sustained communication is key so I respond swiftly to their emails
because I want them to know that they are a priority by being attentive to their needs. Getting to
know my staff family well takes time and intentionality. I acknowledge staff members for their
continuous improvement efforts, successes, hard work, and accomplishments whether it is school
related or their personal goals. I have worked tirelessly throughout these 10 years at W. T.
Brown to cultivate an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. This earned trust and respect has
reduced my teacher turnover rate. I have learned the power of building meaningful relationships
and I will continue to support, uplift, and bolster my staff on a daily basis. Sometimes the little
things can make a big difference. I have attended their graduations, weddings, loved ones’
funerals, baby showers, dropped off meals at their homes when they were sick, met them at the
Spring Lake Fire Department to get their blood pressure checked, read over their assignments for
their graduate degrees, and I am currently on the dissertation committee of one of my teachers
who is working on her doctorate. I treat them as a rarity and my actions speak volumes.
(Section IV Professional Capacity) Describe an example how you have provided staff
members with professional knowledge, skills, and practice through differentiated
opportunities for learning and growth. How did you incorporate an understanding of
professional and adult learning and development?
An example of how I have provided staff members with professional knowledge, skills, and
practice through differentiated opportunities for learning and growth would be the facilitation of
a “Differentiated Technology Training” for our teachers. Prior to the training, they were
instructed to bring their laptops, Common Core Lesson Planning Book, and any other materials
that they would need to help plan a lesson. The teachers were given an overview of the training
and were allowed to select the digital tool of their choice.
Directions: In your group, you will learn a specific Digital Learning Tool that you can utilize in
the classroom to assist your students in academic achievement in all subject areas. During your
session, you will watch the video on the link provided that corresponds with the digital tool that
you will be learning about. Once you are finished with the digital tool directions, you will then
work with another person on your team to create a lesson plan for any subject of your choice in
which you will embed this digital tool. You may choose to create a lesson plan for direct
instruction, guided practice, independent practice, or small group instruction. The trainers are
available to help you get started and to assist you in any way possible. Group 1 has the digital
tool Nearpod; Group 2 has the digital tool EdPuzzle; and Group 3 has the digital tool Google
Classroom.
The training gave an opportunity for the teachers to coalesce while creating their digital learning
tool lesson plans. Teachers were allotted a considerable amount of time to process and delve into
the activity. They shared their completed digital learning tool lesson plans with the group. Their
peers asked questions, provided comments, and feedback. I incorporated an understanding of
professional and adult learning and development by conveying to my teachers that the purpose of
professional development is to expand their learning so they can be innovative and improve their
skills to better reach all students. I emphasized how technology tools are evolving and
progressing making it crucial for them to continue developing their technology skills, honing
their knowledge, and staying abreast of current technology tools. By having opportunities to
learn, increase their skills set, and embrace new technology tools, in turn, allows them to apply
that learning to increase student achievement. I am constantly engaging my teachers in
opportunities for growth that stimulate their thinking and knowledge in order to ensure their
practice is informed and up to date. When teachers are provided with the right kinds of
information and support, we open up their capacity and potential as professionals so that we can
fully achieve our goals for the classroom, school, and state. I incorporate and stress that it is also
incredibly important for them to become better in their personal lives by raising their ambitions
for a better future. Several of them have obtained their administrative degrees, five of them are
currently enrolled in graduate degree programs, and three are working to obtain the pinnacle for
teachers, National Board Certification. The takeaway is simple: Educators who engage in
lifelong learning set an example for their students because they are practicing what they teach.
(Section V Operational Effectiveness) How do you institute, manage and monitor operations
and administrative systems to help promote your school’s mission and vision?
I institute, manage, and monitor operations and administrative systems to help promote our
school’s strong mission and vision by leading, guiding, and implementing a shared vision of high
expectations, lifelong learning, and continuous improvement using the Indistar platform that
gives us guidance on the actions in our School Improvement Plan (SIP). The School
Improvement Plan is a working document and our School Improvement goals are shared
responsibilities of the staff. During our School Improvement Team (SIT) meetings, we are
constantly digging deeper into the indicators and actions of our School Improvement goals. We
monitor the actions by using pre and post assessments, formative and summative assessments,
analyzing test data, use of teacher reports and students’ work samples, student attendance and
tardy rates, disciplinary referrals, school climate data, feedback from parent and student surveys,
etc. to determine and attack the root causes of the problems and implement the best productive
solutions. The findings are rooted in good data. There are numerous candid and crucial
conversations that take place addressing the priorities and the monitoring of the actions.
Throughout the school year we are conducting reviews of our School Improvement Plan’s goals
to monitor the progress, timelines, and evidences of attainment. Learning targets are set to
measure progress towards our school’s mission and vision and we celebrate our victories great
and small. At each SIT meeting, progress notes are documented in the Indistar System to notate
the actions and progression of each goal. The goals and actions are monitored and adjusted as
needed. The Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS framework) is another process that we use
to monitor our school’s operations and administrative systems to help promote our school’s
mission and vision. This tiered comprehensive framework addresses the social-emotional,
academic, and behavioral needs of each student in their equitable learning environment. It
analyzes the effectiveness of key processes and best practices and we use data to monitor it. A
comprehensive needs assessment is also conducted to review the practices, processes, and
systems within our school to determine the needs, their nature and causes, and to establish our
future priorities. The Teacher Working Conditions (TWC) Survey is another important piece that
we use for monitoring. I would be remiss if I did not mention the role of our students in this
process. It is imperative to amplify and uplift students’ voices so I periodically meet with groups
of students to harness their perspectives and opinions of our school. They share their insights,
blind spots, and novel ideas for the improvement of their learning. Surveys are sent to parents
throughout the school year and I have parent coffee sessions to obtain their input and suggestions
for how to better serve their children. There is a collective efficacy in the accomplishment of our
goals. Our school is Cumberland Proud and we will continue to model and promote our school’s
mission and vision statements as we remain dedicated to the Cumberland Commitment of doing
what works best for students.
(Section VI Families and Community)Explain how you employ the community’s cultural,
social, intellectual, and political resources to promote student learning and school
improvement.
I am a staunch believer in the saying “No man is an island” and the African proverb “It takes a
village to raise a child.” This proverb is especially paramount in the lives of our babies at Brown.
Every year I solicit several barbers and beauticians to come to our Back-to-School Open House
to give our male students haircuts and braid or style our female students’ hair. I want my babies
to feel good about themselves because when you look good, you feel good, and that motivates
you to do great things. I invited the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to line the breezeway of my
school for the first day of school this year to welcome, encourage, and greet my babies. It is very
important for young Black males to see older Black males in a positive light. They also gave
each one of my teachers a $25.00 gift card to Walmart. For field day, we reach out to our
military, parents, and Pine Forest High School students to oversee the various field day stations.
Soldiers serve as proctors for our End-Of-Grade testing in May. I have a WRAL TV
meteorologist come and review weather systems with my 5th grade students in preparation for
their science EOG test. The late rapper Tupac Shakur’s mother, the late Afeni Shakur, has given
monetary donations to the schools I have been principal of and supported me with whatever the
school needed. When we have our awards ceremonies, we invite the Spring Lake Police Chief,
the Mayor, and a City Council member to assist with handing out the awards and judging our
Civic Oration and Spelling Bee contests. Smile Starters provides dental services to our students.
The Kiwanis Club provides bicycles, Christmas gifts, and holiday food packages to our families.
FSU’s college students tutor our students. The pipeline starts early so we have an Annual
College/Career Day for our 5th grade students and the clientele is comprised of Methodist
University, Fayetteville State University, FTCC, local barbers and hairdressers, police
department, fire department, doctors, a dentist, a teacher, nurses, business owners, lawyers,
professors, the military and more We need to connect those at the end of the pipeline to those at
the beginning of the pipeline. We have a girl’s group called Dr. Fenner’s Young Women of
Distinction and a male’s group called Young Males of Distinction. Some of the activities include
Yoga, vision boards, and various community stakeholders speak with them about various topics
such as lifelong skills, social etiquette, how to tie a tie, career and college readiness. Other topics
consist of learning about money and I invited a Wells Fargo banker to teach the students about
the basics of managing a checking and savings account. PNC Bank in Spring Lake comes
monthly to teach our students about financial literacy. We have the PBIS discipline framework
and students are rewarded cub bucks that they use for school events and to purchase items at our
PBIS school store. Local businesses donate items for our PBIS school store. We have an annual
Thanksgiving Feast for our 5th graders that a community stakeholder pays for. Due to the
negative perceptions that my Black male students have about law enforcement, I invited The
Cumberland County Sheriff s Office to participate in our last feast. They served the food and sat
down to fellowship and build relationships with the students because that’s what beneficent
stakeholders do when they are part of a committed community that’s Cumberland Strong.
Section VII. Equity (1 page)
(Section VIII Professional Endorsement)Include a brief statement and three artifacts that
best represent your professional successes and/or achievements.
These three artifacts best represent my professional successes and/or achievements.
Artifact 1- The trophy and newspaper article designates Alger B. Wilkins Elementary School as
“highest performing school” in the top 10 percent of Title I schools in the entire state of North
Carolina. I was principal of Alger B. Wilkins Elementary School and we received this amazing
award at the end of my 1st year there. I was informed before I was placed at the school that the
state was about to take over the school and I was expected to raise student achievement.
Propelled by this challenge, I went in full of ardor and a tenacious spirit. We established a
strategic plan that would motivate congruence, establish a sense of urgency, and provide
intensive instruction to the students. This arduous task gave me the strength to endure, the power
to overcome, and we achieved it. Challenges like this have fortified me to withstand whatever
comes my way.
Artifact 2- This North Carolina Academic Growth Award indicates that William T. Brown
Elementary School “exceeded” academic growth expectations for students during the 2021-2022
school year on the End-Of-Grade tests. We are very elated about this accomplishment because
our babies had academic challenges due to the pandemic and we were bound and determined that
they would transcend them. It is all about people, purpose and passion. We are committed to little
people, know our purpose and our mission is fueled with an intense passion to achieve our goals.
This growth award reflects all of my staff family members who worked so hard to get us from
where we were to where we are.
Artifact 3- 1st Place Winner and #1 School Team of the “Light The Night Fundraiser”
2021-2022 “Unstoppable In The Fight of Cancer”
Cumberland County Schools partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for their
“Light The Night” fundraiser. Each school in Cumberland County was asked to raise money for
the fundraiser. My school, William T. Brown Elementary, is a Title I low socioeconomic school
and we were the school that raised the largest amount of money which was $7,519.71. I would be
remiss if I did not mention that I have established these networks and stakeholders by being
highly active, involved and visible in the community. I am an adjunct professor, radio
personality, host of a TV show, read the local newspaper to blind/ visually impaired individuals
on the radio, and a prolific writer of 16 magazines, so I teach our babies the importance of
philanthropy which is giving back to the community and helping those in need. These powerful
connections allow me to reach out to these individuals to obtain sizable donations during
fundraising events like these. There is an importance of the saying “no man is an island” and
good networking with individuals can serve as support whenever there is any eventuality at any
time.
(Section VII Equity)As the principal, how do you lead the school community to confront
and alter institutional biases and inequitable practices to ensure the academic success and
well- being of all students?
Given the mantle of leadership, you must have the impetus to confront, motivate change, address
unconscious biases, and interrupt inequitable practices that affect students’ learning and success.
As a learning leadHER (female leader) of the heart who leads from the inside-out, I have had to
facilitate difficult conversations to effectuate the salient changes and substantial investments that
needed to occur in order to make our school more equitable. We have a constitutional obligation
and a moral imperative to meet the sound basic educational needs of every child in North
Carolina. To those students who have the least, we owe the most. One of the key things that I
talk with my staff family about is to foster meaningful and trusting relationships with our
students so they will feel valued. Get to know them in intricate detail, show them that you care
about what is going on in their lives, and learn their strengths, needs, and personal interests. It is
key to embrace, recognize, and strengthen students’ individual differences and identity. The
more you get to know the student, the better you can teach them in a way that they will learn.
The goal is to make the learning environment more compelling and meaningful for our
marginalized students. I have conducted numerous Cultural Proficiency and Equity sessions to
ameliorate inequities, have frank conversations about what an equitable learning environment
looks like, and we spoke honestly and truthfully about microaggressions, student suspension
rates, teachers’ perceptions, and implicit biases about our students. Seeing is believing so we
take teachers on a bus ride to see where our students live because getting to know a student’s
cultural background is key and culture impacts the way students learn and communicate. It
allows the teacher to see why students have certain behaviors. To change behavior, you must
change minds. The more culturally competent we are as educators, the less our students have to
play cultural toss in our schools. The less pressure they feel not to be who they are, the more
energy they have available to engage and learn. Our students are held to the highest standards
and we implement a seamless pathway to mastery that will allow them to transcend the
generational poverty cycle they are presently in. I advocate for our needs, programs, marshal
resources and articulate that schools like mine need the best premier professionals with a genuine
concern for our students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being. My teachers incorporate
culturally relevant strategies and have a racial equity lens to leverage student success and prepare
students to compete in tomorrow’s economy. We implement social and emotional learning (SEL)
practices and classrooms are equitable learning environments with culturally responsive
pedagogy, evidence based practices, tiering instruction, use of lesson plans, materials, and books
that reflect diversity, and essential academic and social support that invigorates them to become
successful students. When I observe my teachers, I am looking for these practices in their
instructional delivery and making sure they are implemented with fidelity. I am the cornerstone
on which learning communities function and grow and I will continue to ensure we provide a
fair, unbiased, equitable, and inclusive learning environment so our malleable students feel a
sense of value and belonging, have what they need to thrive and “together we will rise” in
academic achievement and high growth.
