Lipe retiring as DCS Superintendent
{Contributed photo/Sen. Steve Jarvis newsletter}
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 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.
