The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education on Oct. 3 approved a contract to hire Dr. Don Phipps as interim superintendent, effective Dec. 1, 2025, by unanimous vote.

The board said the 15-month interim appointment will give the district time to conduct a full superintendent search and pursue the board’s goal of restoring the district’s fiscal health following recent challenges.

Board Chair Deanna Kaplan opened the meeting by noting the district’s partnership with the North Carolina State Board of Education to identify interim candidates and introduced Dr. Phipps as the state board’s recommendation. "This would provide the district ample time to search for its next superintendent and implement the board's goal to restore our district's fiscal health," Kaplan said.

Dr. Don Phipps, the board-approved interim, currently serves as superintendent of Caldwell County Schools, a post he has held since 2018. The board and Dr. Phipps discussed his experience in administration and finance; the board said his background includes time as a university professor and previous superintendent roles. "I want to be a part of the team that turns those stories about this school system from repetitive bad news stories to stories about the system's comeback," Dr. Phipps said, describing a focus on rebuilding trust and transparent communication.

Board member Brown welcomed Phipps on behalf of the board, saying, "I'd like to welcome Dr. Phipps to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, and we look forward to having you lead us back to where we know we can be." The motion to approve the contract was made by Board member Susan Miller and seconded by Board member Barr; the board chair declared the motion passed unanimously.

According to remarks made at the meeting, Dr. Phipps was described as a statewide figure: he has served in K-12 roles including school psychologist, assistant principal and executive director of student services; he previously led Beaufort County Schools; he is an adjunct professor at Appalachian State University's college of education and a part-time instructor at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute; he was named superintendent of the year in 2023 and serves as president of the North Carolina School Superintendents Association. His academic credentials noted at the meeting include degrees from Methodist College (now Methodist University), Appalachian State University and UNC Charlotte.

The board also moved into closed session earlier in the meeting to discuss a personnel matter and a legal matter "pursuant to the statutory provisions listed on the agenda." The closed session motion passed and the meeting later resumed for the formal vote to approve Dr. Phipps's contract.

The board chair invited Dr. Phipps and his wife to the dais after the vote. The Board of Education’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 14; Dr. Phipps’s interim contract begins Dec. 1, 2025, and the current superintendent’s contract was noted in the meeting as ending Nov. 30, 2025.