Please join us in congratulating Dr. Stuart Blount on his new position as Interim Chief Operations Officer effective July 1, 2025. The Board of Education approved this recommendation at the April 17th Board Meeting.

Dr. Stuart Blount began his teaching and coaching career in Craven County Schools after graduating from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science and Master’s degree in Health and PE. He taught at J.T. Barber 9th grade school before serving as a teacher, coach, and assistant principal at New Bern High School. Dr. Blount served as the principal of Albert H. Bangert Elementary School and then Brinson Memorial Elementary School, where he was named Principal of the Year in 2006. In 2007, Blount returned to New Bern High School to lead the Bears as their principal. Dr. Blount left Craven County Schools after accepting the position of Assistant Superintendent for Scotland County Schools in Laurinburg, NC. Following a successful two and a half years as an Assistant Superintendent, he was appointed Superintendent of Clinton City Schools in Clinton, NC, in July of 2012. During his tenure as Superintendent, he earned his doctoral degree in educational leadership from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Blount served as the Superintendent of Clinton City Schools until his retirement from the State of North Carolina in 2018. Following his retirement, Dr. Blount served as a member of the Clinton City Schools Board of Education. Dr. Blount has previously served as the regional director of the University of Mount Olive-New Bern campus.

Throughout his career, Dr. Blount remained active on the local, state, and national levels. He has served as the president of the North Carolina City Schools Superintendent’s Consortium, president of the Southeast Regional Educational Alliance Board of Directors, Region 2 president, and board member of the North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, member of the North Carolina Association of School Administrators, and has presented at

numerous regional, state, and national educational conferences.

Locally, Dr. Blount is a member and current President of the Board of Directors of the West of New Bern Volunteer Fire Department. Since moving back to New Bern in 2019, Dr. Blount has served in numerous interim leadership positions for Craven County Schools.

Dr. Blount and his wife, Toni, are members of Garber Methodist Church and are the proud parents of three children; Jacob, a 2018 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Nick, a 2019 graduate of North Carolina State University; and Anna, a 2022 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

We look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Blount in his new role.

Please help us congratulate Ms. Marlena Shine as our new Director of Technology. Ms. Shine was approved for this position at the April Board of Education Meeting on April 17, 2025.

Ms. Shine is an experienced educator and instructional leader with over 18 years of service in Craven County Schools. A New Bern native and graduate of New Bern High School, Peace College, and NC State (M.Ed.), she has held roles from technology assistant to classroom teacher to Instructional Coach/Specialist.

Marlena has represented Craven County Schools statewide as a Kenan Fellow, DPI- DTL Ambassador, and NC Textbook Commissioner. She is passionate about empowering students, educators, and leaders through innovative systems and meaningful coaching and support.

Outside work, she enjoys exploring North Carolina from the coast to the mountains with her husband Colin, Mountaineer daughter Ashby, and their best pup, Kona.



We look forward to continuing to work with Ms. Shine in her new role!

It's Time to Celebrate our Middle School Lego Competition

Winners and Participants

Craven County Schools Military Liaison Counselor Jodi Scoggins had the opportunity to meet and attend a briefing with N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary Jocelyn Mallette on April 17, 2025. The Craven County Schools NC Scorecard was shared, highlighting the positive impact that our military-connected students have on our schools.