In selecting a new superintendent, Mount Airy City Schools turned to a familiar face.
Dr. Phillip Brown, who has been with the city school systems for a little more than seven years, will assume the top spot in the system next week, after the city Board of Education voted Tuesday evening to name him to the top spot.
Brown will fill the vacancy created when Dr. Kim Morrison stepped down March 2 to take the post of senior project director with The Innovation Project.
“Accepting the position of superintendent at Mount Airy City Schools fills me with excitement, especially as a Granite Bear,” Brown said. “Leading this esteemed institution, steeped in tradition, is a dream come true. I eagerly anticipate furthering my collaboration with the talented staff, motivated students, and supportive community to uphold our proud legacy. This opportunity ignites my passion for shaping the future of our school district while honoring our Granite Bear heritage. Go Bears!”
“We are excited to have Dr. Brown become the next superintendent of Mount Airy City Schools,” said Board Chairman Tim Matthews. “He has worked diligently during his time with us to ensure that the district does a solid job in recruiting and retaining excellent staff members. He has been both approachable and dependable for our staff as they further their careers and increase their knowledge. I look forward to working with him as he moves our district forward.”
Brown first came to Mount Airy in 2017 when he was named executive director of teaching and learning. In 2021 he was named deputy superintendent of human resources and academics for the district. In the past seven years, Brown has been involved in nearly $12 million in funding initiatives that provide students and staff greater opportunities. Some of these grants include Golden Leaf, National Board Grant, Needs-based Capital, Advanced Teacher Roles, and 21st Century Learning Center.
Brown is a Montgomery County native who earned his BA in liberal arts from St. Andrew Presbyterian University, his Master of School Administration from the University of North Carolina Pembroke, and his doctoral degree from Wingate University.
Brown’s 24-year-career in education began as a bus driver and teaching assistant in Montgomery County Schools. He has also held teaching, instructional coaching, and coordinator positions prior to becoming director of secondary and career and technical education at in the Montgomery system. During his time in Montgomery, he and his team wrote and managed grants, bringing nearly $8 million in funding to the school system.
Dr. Brown has been heavily involved in both the district work and the community. He serves as past president of the Mount Airy Rotary Club, former Youth Services chair, Paul Harris Fellow, and is the founder of the Satellite Rotary Club of Mount Airy. He also serves as the education and collections committee chair for the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. He is a founding board member of the Blue Bear Foundation and Young Entrepreneurs of Surry (YES-Surry).
Brown will officially take the reins when he takes the oath of office during an April 24 ceremony scheduled at the Community Central Office. He is married to Mandy and they have an elementary son, Miles.
It was not immediately clear how many candidates the city schools considered for the position, or when the school system would seek to fill Brown’s previous position.
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