Public School Matters

Episode 44 - A Conversation With Jason Johnson, 2025 NC Principal Of The Year And 2026 National High School Principal Of The Year

This week, the NCASA Advocacy Team speaks withJason Johnson, 2025 NC Principal of the Year and 2026 National High School Principal of the Year [https://www.dpi.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2026/04/20/orange-county-administrator-named-national-principal-year]. Our hosts discuss the challenges that face Principals, Assistant Principals, and all school administrators. They also talk about advocating with state legislators to raise awareness on issues currently affecting NC Public Schools statewide.

Episode 43: A Conversation With Incoming NCASA Executive Director, Dr. Travis Reeves

This week our Advocacy Team sits down to have a conversation with NCASA’s Incoming Executive Director, Dr. Travis Reeves [https://ncasa.net/ncasa-news-resources/surry-county-superintendent-named-new-ncasa-executive-director/]. Dr. Reeves, who currently serves as the Superintendent of Surry County Schools [https://www.surry.k12.nc.us/page/superintendent], will officially assume the duties of Executive Director on July 1, 2026. In this episode Dr. Reeves shares his thoughts on NCASA, his vision for the organization’s future in supporting school leaders across the state, and efforts to engage members in advocating for strong public schools.

Episode 42 - 2026 Primary Election In North Carolina: Important Races For Education

This week the NCASA Advocacy Team discusses the importance of the March 3rd Primary Election with Alex Baltzegar [https://ncfree.org/who-we-are/], Executive Director of the NC FreeEnterprise Foundation [https://ncfree.org/], also known as NCFree. NCFree’s mission is focused on promoting a free enterprise system through research, education, and political engagement, which includes informative analyses on key races and trends shaping North Carolina elections.

Episode 41 - A Conversation With Dr. Rodney Peterson, Superintendent Of Person County Schools, and 2026 NC Superintendent Of The Year

This week, the NCASA Advocacy Team speaks with Dr. Rodney Peterson, Superintendent of Person County Schools [https://www.pcsnc.org/page/message-from-the-superintendent] and the 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year [https://www.ncssa.net/news/person-county-superintendent-wins-burroughs-wellcome-fund-2026-a.-craig-phillips-nc-superintendent-of-the-year-award], about challenges he and other superintendents are facing in leading public schools.

Episode 40 - One Year Later: Impact On Education in WNC After Hurricane Helene

In this episode our NCASA Advocacy Team takes an important look back at the unprecedented devastation that Hurricane Helene caused in western and northwestern North Carolina in late September 2024, just over a year ago and how it impacted K-12 education in those areas. Special guests for this episode are: Dr. Rob Jackson [https://www.buncombeschools.org/o/bcs/page/superintendent], Superintendent of Buncombe County Schools; and Dr. Eisa Cox [https://www.asheschools.org/district/superintendent], Superintendent of Ashe County Schools. NCASA's team focuses on how schools and communities in these districts are progressing in recovery, and what additional assistance is needed now and for the future.   CREDITS Soundbites used in this episode are courtesy of: * WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC) - NEWS DOCUMENTARY "Helene: What We Lost, What We Found [https://youtu.be/tdgAObyDd6I?si=ntxYRsXY7vqaW4l7].”  * Education NC Video - “A Long Way Down, the story of Surge [https://youtu.be/e03kDnKsa-U?si=8MyVPp-wQC0Pqehp].”