Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr. will retire July 1, the school district announced Tuesday night.
Connelly, an Army veteran who’s spent 34 years in education and has been superintendent of Cumberland County Schools since 2018, made the announcement at Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting
“This decision is not one I’ve made lightly, but I feel within myself that it’s time to step into the next chapter of my life,” Connelly said in a statement.
He said his wife, Joyce, the couple’s children and 11 grandchildren deserve more of his time and that his church family, who has also supported him, needs him “in a greater capacity.”
Cumberland County Schools superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. takes a picture with Azani Jennings at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park Banquet and Black History program on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
“We’ve built a strong foundation, and CCS is well-positioned to continue moving forward,” Conelly said.
He thanked the Board of Education, staff, students, families and community for their support and partnerships.
“When I began this role in 2018, we laid out an ambitious vision — The Cumberland Commitment: Strategic Plan—to transform our schools and create opportunities for every student to succeed,” Connelly said. “Together, we’ve brought that vision to life—raising graduation rates, reducing low-performing schools, achieving equity in technology access, and strengthening family and community partnerships. The work we’ve done has been nothing short of extraordinary.”
According to the CCS news release, Connelly worked with the Board of Education and stakeholders in 2019 to develop “The Cumberland Commitment: Strategic Plan,” which prioritizes “Successful Students, Premier Professionals, Exceptional Environment, and Committed Community.”
Hiring announcement: Marvin Connelly Jr. named superintendent of Cumberland County Schools
Successful Students
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction analyzes school districts’ end-of-course and end-of-grade test scores, graduation rates, American College Testing scores and other areas annually to determine a district’s accountability rating.
• The release states that district composite scores have increased by 38.3% since the Covid-19 pandemic
• The percentage of schools meeting or exceeding growth rose from 63.2% in 2018 to 84.1% in 2024.
• The number of low-performing schools dropped from 23 in 2018 to 15 in 2024, with 17 schools removed from the state’s Low-Performing List during the 2023-2024 school year.
• CCS achieved a 1:1 technology ratio, improving from two students per device in 2018.
• Graduation rates increased from 83.8% in 2018 to 86.6% in 2023, the highest in the district’s history.
Premier Professionals
• The percentage of teachers meeting or exceeding growth increased from 85% in 2018 to 91.8% in 2024.
• Fifty-nine principals were appointed, and 45 central office administrators were hired or promoted, supported by a robust leadership pipeline to ensure stability and continuous growth.
Previous reporting: Board asks: What’s being done to raise test scores of Cumberland County minority students?
Exceptional Environment
• Student suspensions dropped from 7,954 in 2018 to 5,629 in 2024.
• Central Services were reorganized to align resources with strategic priorities, improving outcomes for students and staff.
Committed Community
• Family engagement event participation grew from 67,264 in 2019 to 105,031 in 2024.
• Community partnerships expanded from 140 in 2019 to 1,181 in 2024.
• Parent users in the Student Information System increased from 28,877 in 2019 to 51,377 in 2024.
Other highlights
Before joining CCS, Connelly served as chief of staff and assistant superintendent for student services in Wake County Public Schools.
He started his education career as a special education teacher assistant and worked as a teacher, assistant principal and principal at middle and high school levels.
According to the release, Connelly, who was named the 2024 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year, has helped CCS earn accolades to include:
• National Magna Awards for equity efforts in 2021 and 2022.
• North Carolina State Superintendent’s Purple Star District Awards from 2021–2024 for military-friendly practices.
• Forbes Best-in-State Employer recognition in 2021 and 2024.
Connelly also served as the first National Superintendent Chair for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He announced in 2019 that he had jaw cancer, and the district and Connelly announced in September that Connelly was temporarily out of office to address an unspecified “health challenge.”
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. to retire