The retiring superintendent of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools has been named superintendent of the year by an educators’ union, and an employee of Cash Elementary School is one of the recipients of the 2025 Core Awards for exceptional educators in WS/FCS, officials announced Wednesday night.
Tricia McManus, who announced last week that she decided after the recent birth of her first grandchild to retire on June 30, was chosen the 2025 Superintendent of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Educators, WS/FCS Board of Education chair Deanna Kaplan said at the school district’s Core Awards ceremony in the historic R.J. Reynolds Auditorium in Winston-Salem.
Jessica Schaefer, media coordinator at Cash Elementary, won the Core Award for Certified Instructional Support Personnel of the Year.
McManus was chosen for her commitment to open dialogue, collaboration and genuine partnership with teachers, said Jenny Easter, the president of the Forsyth County Association of Educators.
“Having a superintendent who actively listens and values educators’ voices makes a meaningful difference for our schools, students, and our community,” Easter said.
The winners of the other Core Awards were:
• Robert Ash, Speas Elementary School, Principal of the Year
• Jamille Rhodes, Konnoak Middle School, Assistant Principal of the Year
• Cristofer Wiley, R.J. Reynolds High School, Teacher of the Year
• Chasity Jones, Central Office Legal Department, Classified Employee of the Year
• Heather Hosey, R.J. Reynolds High School, Judy Mountjoy Volunteer of the Year
Each winner was given an award designed by WS/FCS Art Teacher Sydney Hinkle and a $500 check.
There were almost 350 nominees. After extensive interviews, essays, letters of recommendation from parents and co-workers and observations, five finalists in each of the six categories were chosen.