Bennett will oversee Choice Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Rodney Nelson, Assistant Superintendent Human Resource Services, 560-2353
Bennett will oversee Choice Programs
DURHAM—Christopher J. Bennett, Principal of Durham School of the Arts, has been named Executive Director of Choice Programs for Durham Public Schools. DSA Assistant Principal Lee Vrana will serve as interim principal while a selection committee searches for a permanent replacement.
In his new role, Bennett will be responsible for working with other administrators to assess the current status of choice programs within Durham Public Schools; develop short-term and long-range plans for program improvement and development; seek funding of innovative programs through writing grants applications to foundations and government agencies; and provide supervision for magnet programs and other innovative DPS programs.
Bennett has been DSA principal since May 2003. Prior to that appointment, he served as assistant principal at Carrington Middle School for two years, and was assistant principal at DSA for a year prior to going to Carrington. He had also served as a teacher at DSA. Before coming to Durham Public Schools he taught at the high school level in the Alamance-Burlington, Guilford County and Reidsville City School Systems.
“This is a great opportunity to have an impact on the magnet school programs and other choice programs throughout Durham Public Schools, as part of the district’s ongoing efforts to provide the highest quality of instruction possible for our students,” said Bennett. “My association with Durham School of the Arts has been an overwhelmingly positive experience, and I will greatly miss the students, staff members and DSA community.”
Bennett is a Durham native and graduate of Northern High School. He holds a Master of Arts degree in School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, along with a B.A. in Industrial Relations from UNC-Chapel Hill. He received the North Carolina Administrative License in 2001, and is a former Teacher of the Year. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
“As Durham Public Schools charts the course for educational innovation over the next decade, our Schools of Choice programs will be a key component to our success,” said Superintendent Ann T. Denlinger. “Chris Bennett is a proven professional with the right combination of vision and motivation, and his expertise will ensure that we have the best possible programs in place for our students.”
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