Dr. Laverne Mattocks-Perry and Dr. Danielle Jones, who serve as Durham Public Schools’ Senior Executive Director of Student Support Services and Assistant Superintendent for Middle Schools, respectively, have been recognized by the North Carolina Association for Middle Level Education for their ongoing outstanding and purposeful work with adolescent learners.

NCMLE advocates for middle schools and actively promotes academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity, and effective organizational structures and processes. 

Dr. Mattocks-Perry has been selected as the 2022 recipient of the Social Equity Educator to Watch Award. This award is given to an educator who has experience effectively leading social equity advancements across a school, district and/or state.

Dr. Mattocks-Perry leads the DPS Student Support Services team in maximizing supports and interventions for DPS students to optimize student learning. District and school promotion and graduation data is analyzed, problem-solved, and supported through her leadership. Her nomination letter states, “At the heart of Dr. Mattocks-Perry's work is social equity. She strives to ensure that all students receive access to educational professionals who have resources and support for social-emotional, behavior, and academic supports at their fingertips so they can serve each and every child.” Her nominator further stated that, “Dr. Mattocks-Perry knows that each level of education is important in the life of a child. Particularly, at the middle school level, adolescents may have new life experiences and may face challenges that come along with adolescence. In her work, Dr. Mattocks-Perry puts structures and process in place to support all middle school students in the district through her work with district and school level leaders. She does this through ensuring students have access to universal screeners, counselors, behavior support specialists, and mental health resources.

Dr. Jones is being recognized for and presented with the 2022 Central Office Personnel to Watch Award. This award is given to a central office educator who has experience effectively leading and working to grow middle school students across a district and/or state.

In addition, Dr. Daniel Kelvin Bullock was recognized in 2021 as a Social Equity Educator to Watch Award recipient but due to COVID-19 restrictions, was not presented his award in person. 

DPS superintendent Dr. Pascal Mubenga noted their pioneering leadership in the field of adolescent education. “These recognitions are extremely well deserved. Drs. Mattocks-Perry, Jones and Bullock are leaders who are impacting the lives of our students and staff with their purposeful work. They are helping to make our middle schools remarkable places to learn and grow.”

The honors will be bestowed at the annual NCMLE conference next month in Charlotte.