Dr. Lisa Martin hired as Northampton Superintendent

The Northampton County School Board has offered Lisa L. Martin, PhD. the position of  superintendent of Northampton County Public Schools and is very pleased that she has  accepted. The news was announced at the January 26, 2023, regularly scheduled school board  meeting. 

Dr. Martin has been serving as Acting Superintendent since the unexpected resignation of her  predecessor and has done an outstanding job. Previously she served as the associate  superintendent of instruction for Northampton County Public Schools. 

Dr. Martin brings a wealth of educational and administrative experience garnered over more  than 30 years, serving most recently at the state level in the Department of Education in the  Office of School Quality, where she supported schools in identifying and implementing  sustainable, strategic improvement strategies. Martin has served as a superintendent, chief  academic officer, associate/assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, and as a  middle school and high school teacher.  

“I am incredibly humbled and honored to be selected as the superintendent of Northampton  County Public Schools and to serve the division in this capacity. I look forward to continuing to  listen and learn from each of you and to assist in bridging communication gaps and building  trust. I want to thank the school board for this opportunity and their continued support of our  schools. In my experiences on the “shore,” I have come to quickly recognize Northampton  County’s beauty as a community rich in tradition, culture, and diversity. I feel truly blessed to  work with such caring groups of teachers, administrators, and staff members committed to  working together to do great things for our students, families, and community.” 

During her career in education, Martin was recognized as the Washington Post Principal of the  Year for Stafford County, VA, and as a Principal of Distinction by the Virginia Department of  Education. As a principal, Martin also received the AARP Ethel Percy Andrus Award as the  Most Innovative High School. Additionally, she was selected to participate in the Vincent E.  Reed Leadership Institute and the North Carolina School Superintendent’s Association’s Next  Generation of Leaders program. 

Even before being hired by Northampton County Public Schools in her original capacity as  Associate Superintendent, Dr. Martin and her husband had made a commitment to  Northampton County by acquiring a home here with the intention of eventually retiring to our  county. We are incredibly fortunate to have found a leader of Dr. Martin’s caliber who has  already demonstrated both her great competence at the job for which she has been hired and  her devotion to Northampton County and the students in its public schools. 

Liz Jones, the Northampton County School Board chairperson, believes “Dr. Martin is the  steadfast, passionate, and thoughtful leader needed for our district. Dr. Martin comes with a  wealth of knowledge in public education and her ‘student first’ mentality is going to push our  district forward. I can’t wait to watch our schools flourish under her leadership.”  

Martin completed her doctoral work at Virginia Commonwealth University and was awarded a  Ph.D. – Urban Services Program: Educational Leadership. She also received the Metropolitan  Education Research Consortium (M.E.R.C.) fellowship. She has a master’s degree from the  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from the University of  Central Florida.  

About Northampton County Public Schools 

Northampton County Public Schools (N.C.P.S.) is home to two elementary schools (Title I  schools), 1 middle school (7-8), one high school (grades 9-12), 1 center for careers and  technology, and 1 alternative educational (Teaching Each Child Holistically TECH) center. Total  student enrollment is approximately 1,379, including PK-12.