The Caldwell County Board of Education on Nov. 30 voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Thomas Howell as the district’s next superintendent, with the associated contract effective Dec. 1, 2025. The board announced the hire after interviewing four finalists and conducting a brief closed session to discuss confidential personnel matters.

The board moved to approve the appointment during the meeting. As recorded, a board member said, “Chairman Pinto, it is my honor to make a motion to approve the appointment of doctor Thomas Howell as the superintendent of Caldwell County Schools, with the associated contract effective 12/01/2025.” The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.

Earlier in the meeting the board cited state law allowing closed sessions for confidential personnel discussions. The chair thanked outgoing superintendent Dr. Don Phipps for “the tremendous job that he has done for Caldwell County for the past 7 and a half years,” and noted Phipps will begin a post in Forsyth County on Dec. 1.

District court Judge Scott Lippert administered the oath and offered congratulations, saying, “This is one of those historic moments for the county. It's a day of professional accomplishment for you, and it's a day of renewed possibilities and opportunity for children.” After the oath, the newly sworn superintendent thanked the board and introduced family members: his wife, Diane; daughters Hope and Faith; and in‑laws Lloyd and Regina. He promised to keep the district “stable and continuous through this process as we transition and to continue to push for excellence.”

Board members said the district ran an application period, narrowed applicants to four finalists and conducted interviews earlier in the week before making the selection. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn and photographs of the outgoing and incoming superintendents.

Notes on the record: the meeting transcript includes several inconsistent renderings of the new superintendent’s name (appearing as “Thomas Howe,” “Thomas Howell” and a variant in the oath). The board’s formal motion and subsequent remarks use the spelling “Thomas Howell”; the article uses that spelling while noting the inconsistency recorded in the transcript. The board also cited North Carolina statutes authorizing closed sessions for confidential personnel matters during the motion to convene a closed session.