Former DOT executive named Neuse Charter director

A former N.C. Department of Transportation executive is the new director of Neuse Charter School, Johnston County’s lone charter school.

Susan Pullium, who succeeds the recently retired Julie Jailall, looks to lead a school currently on probation into its second decade.

Pullium is the school’s third director since it opened its doors in 2007, following Jailall and founding director Patricia Harris. In the last three years, she has been the DOT’s director of strategic planning and director of customer service but previously worked in Wake County as a teacher and then director of student assignment in the school district’s central office.

Decades are important to charter schools, because that’s the length of time the Department of Public Instruction allows them to exist before being renewed. For Neuse Charter, year 10 is next year, and Pullium has her eye on that second decade, seeing it as the time to establish the school as more than a Johnston County experiment.

“I’m humbled and honored to be trusted with leading the school into the next decade of its existence,” Pullium said. “If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would have told you I’d be in the trenches (of the classroom). But since then I’ve learned some things I wanted to learn and have had opportunities to grow and strengthen my leadership skills and realize, hey I’m actually good at leading large groups of people.”

Pullium attended Arizona State University and got her teaching start at a charter school in Arizona. She said, for better or worse, starting out in a charter exposed her to aspects of education she thinks it would take years to see in a traditional system.

“It gave me the bug early on,” she said. “I taught multiple subjects and got to see how a school runs inside and out. I learned about funding models and guidance counseling. I’m lucky I cut my teeth on an innovative model.”

She came to Wake County as a science teacher in the early 2000s and stayed for more than a decade, first in the classroom and then in the central office. Pullium said charters shouldn’t have an adversarial relationship with traditional schools and sees them as complements.

“We share a common vision of being there for our students and wanting to be strong, stable supports for them, ensuring they get the best education possible,” Pullium said. “What makes us different is charters offer flexibility and can adapt teaching and learning models that focus on the rapidly changing work environment. Charters can be more nimble in your one facility than you might be if you’re part of a larger district.”

While being out of education for three years, Pullium always intended to return. She is currently working on her master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from East Carolina University.

Pullium might be the school’s third director in nine years, but she’s also the second director in two years. Her hiring announcement came at the end of the school year, along with the news that 15 teachers wouldn’t have their contracts renewed and some departments would be reorganized. Not to mention the N.C. Department of Public Instruction placing the school on probation for a late audit and financial deficits. To that, Pullium said she has to ask for a clean slate, but understands why that might be difficult.

“In any time of transition, people will be concerned,” Pullium said. “I would say, trust me for now, if you can, at least give me an opportunity to meet you and talk to you and move forward together. Whenever I would start a new year (as a teacher), I was one who didn’t want the folder about what had happened with a student the year before.”

“As much as its going to be a fresh start for somethings, I know sometimes that isn’t possible,” Pullium said. “Any issues, we’re going to address with transparency and honesty, like any family would. I’m open and honest. and you can trust what I say.”

Neuse Charter board chairman Tony Gupton said the school’s board and review committee received 30 applications, cut the pool to 15 based on qualifications and interviewed five. He said Pullium’s executive and classroom experience and a good interview won her the job.

“Ms. Pullium has a unique combination of administrative and educational experience and skill that more closely matched up with our (director) profile than any other candidate,” Gupton wrote in an email. “The board was looking for deep administrative experience, coupled with an understanding of the educational landscape. ... We see Ms. Pullium being able to create a more focused approach to our business operations and to establish an executable strategic plan that will take the school to a new level of performance.”

This story was originally published July 2, 2016 at 7:19 AM with the headline "Former DOT executive named Neuse Charter director."