Dr. Emily Lipe receives Order of the Long Leaf Pine award
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Since 1963, North Carolina’s governors have reserved the highest honor, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine award, for persons who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional contributions (longleafpinesociety.org).
Dr. Emily W. Lipe will retire as superintendent of Davidson County Schools on September 1, 2023 after dedicating 36 years to education in the state of North Carolina. Lipe met her husband Kevin when they were both public school teachers at West Davidson High School, and she proudly proclaims that their two children, Alexander and Audrianna, are graduates of North Carolina public schools. The public education Alexander and Audrianna received, prepared them to attend Appalachian State University and North Carolina State University (respectively) and reach the goals they set for themselves. The Lipe family is a great example of the positive impact public education has in North Carolina.
Lipe began her service in public education as a high school teacher for Surry County Schools in 1987. In 1989 Lipe began teaching for Davidson County Schools at West Davidson High School, where she taught high school English until she was accepted into the North Carolina Principal Fellows program in 1997. While at West Davidson, she also sponsored the publication of the yearbook, which resulted in Lipe being asked to present to new sponsors by the publisher, Jostens.
Upon successful completion of the Principal Fellows program, Lipe was appointed assistant principal at E. Lawson Brown Middle School in August 1997. In 2002 Lipe advanced her career, being named principal of Davis-Townsend Elementary, where she served until 2007. In 2007, Lipe was elected Principal of the Year for Davidson County Schools as a result of the success Davis-Townsend Elementary experienced under her leadership. Lipe returned to secondary education as the principal of Central Davidson High School for the next four years, and in 2011 was appointed principal of North Davidson High School, the largest school in Davidson County Schools. As a veteran principal, Lipe served as a mentor to novice administrators. Ultimately, Lipe desired to be a school superintendent, so she began a doctoral program while serving as a high school principal, a job that can be challenging to balance in and of itself.
After spending 27 years working directly in schools with students and staff, Lipe transitioned to leadership at the district level, becoming the director of secondary education in 2014, followed by assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in 2016. After just a little more than a year in that role, Lipe was named interim superintendent to start the school year in August 2017, assuming the permanent position in December the same year. Lipe has served as superintendent of Davidson County Schools since 2017 and will retire September 1, 2023.
Lipe entered the role of superintendent at a time when Davidson County Schools needed a strong focus on reestablishing financial security. The opening of a newly constructed high school the previous year, along with other
large expenditures, had depleted the district’s fund balance to a historical low. As Dr. Lipe prepares for retirement, consequently, the district is considered financially stable.
Dr. Lipe leads by example. There is no question that during her tenure as superintendent of Davidson County Schools, she clearly spent more time serving others than she took for herself, illustrating her genuine belief in “To whom much is given, much is required,” an adage she would often share with students, staff, and leaders. In addition to the many daily demands associated with leading a school system with 35 schools, she served on boards for the YMCA, United Way, and Communities in Schools, giving her time to help these organizations thrive. As a result of her leadership, Davidson County Schools has become the leading organization for contributions in the annual United Way campaign for the past few years. Lipe’s immersion in the community is just one more example of her commitment to “leave it better than you found it.”
