Mount Airy City Schools has a new assistant superintendent — but it is a familiar face and name to many in the city school system.
Dr. Olivia Sikes has been named Assistant Superintendent of the city school system, filling the post left vacant when Dr. Phillip Brown was named superintendent of the district, who in turn replaced the retiring Dr. Kim Morrison.
Sikes brings 21 years of experience to the post, including teaching, principal, and administrative experience. She will be overseeing Academics and Human Resources in her new role as well as Student Support Services, Innovative Programming, and Accountability. She is transitioning from the position of executive director of academics, career and technical education and accountability, and her new responsibilities become effective June 1.
“Mount Airy City Schools has been my home for the last 18 years. I look forward to continuing my work in this great school system in the new role of assistant superintendent,” Sikes said. “I am honored to serve the students, staff, and families of Mount Airy City Schools and look forward to being a part of the future of our district.”
“At Mount Airy City Schools, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Olivia Sikes as our new assistant superintendent,” Brown said. “Dr. Sikes has been an exceptional principal and has successfully led our academic programs district-wide over the past few years. Having recently vacated that position, I know that Dr. Sikes has what it takes to get the job done. Her dedication and vision will undoubtedly guide us Granite Bears toward a brighter future.”
Sikes attended Appalachian State University where she majored in mathematics and secondary education. She received her Master of Arts in Education from Wake Forest University and her administrative license from Appalachian State University. Sikes completed her Ed.S. in Leadership and School Administration from Appalachian State University in 2017 and then went on to earn her Ed.D in Educational Leadership in 2022. Sikes completed the North Carolina Aspiring Superintendent Program with Jack Hoke, the Executive Director of the North Carolina School Superintendent Association.
Dr. Sikes is married to Joe Sikes and they have three children Jackson, Kolby, and Lucy.
Hoke stated, “Dr. Olivia Sikes was a member of the NCSSA’s Aspiring Superintendent Program Cohort VII. She developed a strong network of district leaders from across the state and she contributed to the discussion on emerging issues and innovative practices occurring in the Mount Airy City Schools. She will be an outstanding assistant superintendent and will be a great teammate for Dr. Phillip Brown, Superintendent, as they continue the strong academic, athletic, and arts programs in the Mount Airy City Schools.”
In her 21-year career, she has served in a variety of capacities. After 10 years of teaching high school math, she became assistant principal of Mount Airy High School where she served for two years. She then went on to serve as principal of BH Tharrington Primary for three years before moving to Mount Airy Middle School, where she led as principal for three years. She has served as director of CTE and accountability prior to being named executive director of academics.
During her time with the district, she earned Mount Airy City Schools Teacher of the Yearaward in 2012 and Principal of the Year in 2019. She assisted the high school as it earned the 2011 National Blue Ribbon Award. While leading Tharrington, she implemented the dual language immersion program, established a global focus for all classrooms, and empowered teachers as they grew the Leader in Me program for students. As principal of Mount Airy Middle School, she guided the school through the redesignation as a Schools to Watch, celebrated with her staff the North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Lighthouse School Award, and led her staff as it earned a spot as a top middle school in North Carolina.
Most Popular
Comments / 0