Chief Academic Officer Dr. Gloria Talley to retire

Lexington County School District One Superintendent Greg Little, Ed.D., announces that Gloria J. Talley, Ed.D., the district’s chief academic officer, plans to retire effective July 1, 2021.

Of her retirement he says, “Dr. Talley gifted our district with 11 years of dedicated service to our students, her staff, and our schools’ teachers and administrators. During her service, this district created a high-performance learning culture with high expectations.”

Talley, who has 46 years of public education experience, joined the district in 2010, after serving as deputy superintendent for teaching and learning for DeKalb County School District in Decatur, Georgia.

Talley began her education career as dean of women at Chowan College in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. She moved to Northwood High School in Pittsboro, N.C., then to South Brunswick High School in Southport, N.C., as an English teacher.

In 1985, she became director of staff development/public relations for Brunswick County Schools. In 1994, she joined Anderson School District 5 as coordinator of English/language arts and, in 1996, she joined Greenville County Schools as director of professional growth and leadership.

In 2002, she became director of the Leading Educational Achievement in Districts program for the Southern Regional Educational Board in Atlanta, Georgia, until 2005, when she joined DeKalb County School District.

Talley is a Graduate of the North Carolina Principals’ Executive Program at Chapel Hill Institute of Government. She holds a bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University, a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, an educational specialist degree from East Carolina University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Georgia Southern University.

A recipient of many awards and honors since joining Lexington District One including the 2016 President of the SCASA Instructional Leaders Roundtable and the 2011 Lexington District One Educational Office Professionals Administrator of the Year award, she is also a member of the American Association of School Administrators, Instructional Leaders Advisory Committee/ Division of College and Career Readiness, Alliance for Excellent Education, Secondary Education Advisory Group in Washington, DC, Center for Media Arts, Design and Production Advisory Board and Center for Law and Global Policy Development Advisory Board at River Bluff High School, South Carolina Women in Philanthropy, EdLeader 21 Network, Partner District Advisory Committee of Center of Excellence to Prepare Teachers of Children of Poverty at Francis Marion University, Phi Delta Kappa, Education Oversight Committee (EOC) District Reading Plan Work Group, Greater Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center, South Carolina Association of School Administrators, South Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, National Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Clerk of the Vestry at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church.

In planning for Dr. Talley’s retirement, the district will advertise the Chief Academic Officer opening in January and create a succession plan.