Dr. Rob Jackson appointed to Superintendent of Schools for Buncombe County
Swannanoa native to succeed Dr. Tony Baldwin
The Valley Echo
September 23, 2022
Dr. Rob Jackson, a native of Swannanoa, has been named the new Superintendent of Buncombe County Schools. Photo courtesy of BCS
Swannanoa native, Dr. Rob Jackson, has been named the new Superintendent of Schools for Buncombe County.
The former Carteret County Public Schools Superintendent will succeed Dr. Tony Baldwin, who held the position for 13 years, according to a Sept. 22 release by the Buncombe County School System.
Jackson served in the U.S. Navy before starting his career in education as a student data manager and summer custodian while working his way through Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Western Carolina University, where he earned his teaching degree. He worked in Buncombe County Schools for nine years, as a classified employee and then elementary school teacher.
Jackson also has a notable history as a school administrator, serving as an assistant principal in Gaston County and as a principal in three schools in Union County, where he had the unique honor of serving as the inaugural principal for two different schools, Marvin Elementary School and Cuthbertson High School. In 2014, he was named Superintendent of Edenton-Chowan Public Schools in eastern N.C., a position he held for six years before being named to his current role as Superintendent of Carteret County Public Schools.
Over the past several years, Jackson has received multiple recognitions for his leadership, including being named the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Superintendent of the Year; a Dr. Sam Houston Superintendent Leadership Award and the Dr. Brad Sneeden Superintendent Leadership Award winner from the N.C. School Superintendent Association. He was also honored as the 2011 Wells-Fargo N.C. State Principal of the Year and as the N.C. High School Principal of the Year by the N.C. Principals and Assistant Principals Association.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jackson back to Buncombe County Schools,” Chair of the Board of Education Ann Franklin said in the announcement. “Dr. Jackson is an accomplished education leader, and the board looks forward to working with him to further the success of the district and our students. We believe his history and knowledge of Buncombe County will allow him to make an immediate and positive impact."
"As a former student and staff member and as the parent of Buncombe County Schools graduates, I am incredibly honored and excited by the opportunity to serve the children, families, and community of Buncombe County," Jackson said of the appointment. "The academic, artistic, and athletic success of Buncombe County Schools students is a testament to the care and dedication of the teachers, staff, and administrators and of the tremendous partnership with parents and caregivers. I look forward to re-joining this amazing team as together we seek to prepare each and every student for a lifetime of success."
Jackson earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of School Administration degrees from WCU and holds an Education Specialist Degree and Doctor of Education from Wingate University.
The date on which Dr. Jackson will start as superintendent is pending and should be finalized in the next couple of weeks.