School Board Unanimously Affirms New CMS Superintendent

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education unanimously affirmed Earnest Winston as new superintendent for the district, offering him a three-year contract, it said Friday.

The move comes less than three weeks after the board suspended former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent Clayton Wilcox for undisclosed reasons. Wilcox, who was hired to lead the school district in 2016, later resigned effective Aug. 2.

Friday, it took the school board about two minutes to make the unanimous vote that made Winston the fifth superintendent hired by the school district in under nine years, The Charlotte Observer reported.

“Our vote today is reflective of our faith and belief in Earnest, his experience and his vision for moving forward together,” the board said in a released statement.

Winston, who previously worked as a journalist, was initially hired by CMS in 2004 as an English teacher at Vance High School, where he taught journalism and advised the school newspaper. In 2006, he was hired by the CMS communications department and has served in numerous leadership roles since, including chief of staff and chief community relations and engagement officer, the district said.

Under the three-year contract, Winston will early an annual salary of $280,000.

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Winston and his wife, Denise, have two children, who are both enrolled in CMS schools.

RELATED: Download 2019-2020 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Calendar Here

WATCH: CMC Video Interview With Superintendent Winston