Meet Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green

Approved by the Guilford County Board of Education on July 24, 2008 as Guilford County Schools’ third superintendent, Green is committed to providing all students an excellent, well-rounded education.

In the four-plus years of Green’s leadership, the district has raised its graduation rate, student achievement on test scores and scholarship dollars for graduating seniors. But just as essential, he has raised expectations for students, parents, employees and the community.

Green’s theme of excellence was sparked by his “Listening and Learning Tour,” which began upon his arrival in September 2008. Traveling across Guilford County, he garnered input from all audiences through town hall forums and other meetings. He augmented this tour with the “Mo Wants to Know” campaign, which charged stakeholders to dream big as they provided their ideas to the superintendent.

The more than 3,500 responses were incorporated into the district’s first-ever strategic plan, which was launched to the public on January 27, 2009. The theme of the strategic plan, entitled Achieving Educational Excellence, was excellence in all areas, including academics, character development and operations. The strategic plan provided a road map with specific, measurable goals in eight areas to be met by 2012.

At the annual State of Our Schools event on January 31, 2013, Green closed out the 2012 Strategic Plan and unveiled the district’s next plan for 2016, Achieving Educational Excellence: Personalizing Learning. Educational excellence – the successful combination of high academic achievement, strength of character, service to others and excellence in all that GCS does – is the vision that continues to drive the strategic plan in Guilford County Schools.

The plan is divided into four areas: Personalized Learning; Character, Service and Safety; Parent, Family and Community; and Educator and Organizational Excellence. Many initiatives, including a focus on the whole child, service-learning and parent and community involvement, have not changed, but it’s the goal to make them even stronger during this next phase. In addition, this vision will be greatly enhanced over the term of this strategic plan through a significant infusion of advanced technologies in teaching and learning, which will allow students to personalize their learning.

In December of 2012, GCS was named a winner of the federal Race to the Top-District grant, a $30 million grant that will go toward the district’s Personalized Achievement, Curriculum and Environment (PACE) project. Thanks to the grant, the PACE Project will launch in the district’s middle schools, and the first phase will launch in the fall of 2013. By involving nearly 17,000 students, almost 1,400 faculty and all 24 middle schools, the initiative will truly set the pace for 21st century learning across GCS. Another $5.2 million will fund supporting projects, including the district's African-American Male Initiative, an online middle school program and Guilford Parent Academy.  

Under Green’s leadership, the district has had many remarkable accomplishments. From 2009-2012, the district continued to make significant strides toward realizing the vision of achieving academic excellence. The district met, exceeded or made progress on 19 of 21 academic goals, including:

• GCS’ graduation rate increased from 79.5 to 84.5 percent, the highest four-year cohort graduation rate ever achieved by GCS.
• Students performing at a proficient level or higher on End-of-Grade reading assessments (grades 3-8) increased from 55 to 68.1 percent.
• Students performing at a proficient level or higher on End-of-Grade math assessments (grades 3-8) increased from 71.4 to 82.1 percent.
• Students performing at a proficient level or higher on End-of-Grade science assessments increased from 42.5 to 70.4 percent in grade 5 and from 51.2 to 71.7 percent in grade 8.
• Students performing at a proficient level or higher on End-of-Course assessments increased from 62.7 to 79.7 percent.
• The number of Honor Schools of Excellence, the highest designation on the state’s accountability system, increased from one to 19. The number of Schools of Distinction, the next highest level of designation, increased from 14 to 27, while the number of low-performing schools decreased from nine to one.

Other highlights of the 2012 Strategic Plan include:

• The reorganization of the district into four geographic regions and one Enrichment region, which includes schools that need more intensive support. This has helped staff be more responsive to local needs and concerns, and allows central staff to provide better support to principals, particularly at struggling schools. This progress is seen in the notable gains made in student achievement during the last three years.
• The creation of a prototype technology school and two early/middle colleges.
• The launch of Guilford Parent Academy, which provides free workshops and family events, has served more than 18,000 parents.
• The launch of the One, Two and Three Million Books reading campaign. Students read more than 7.5 million books during a three-year timeframe.
• As part of the character development initiative, GCS staff and students built a Habitat for Humanity house for a local family. This project kicked off the first of many service-learning projects, which is now a major part of students’ curriculum. In 2012, GCS awarded more than 350 service-learning exemplary awards and more than 520 service-learning diplomas to graduates. 
• In 2010, the district completed its first Summer Arts Institute that allowed more than 240 students to participate in a week-long arts camp, which included classes in visual art, orchestra, dance, theater, band and chorus. The Summer Arts Institute expanded in 2011 and in 2012 to include additional arts opportunities for more students.

Prior to joining Guilford County Schools, Green held several positions with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). He joined the district in 2001 as its General Counsel, and in 2006, he was named chief operating officer. Upon his departure, he held the additional title of deputy superintendent. His duties included running the day-to-day operations of the district, which boasted 135,000 students, nearly 18,000 employees and a $1.17 billion budget.

Green holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a law degree, both from Duke University. Upon graduating from law school, his first job was a prestigious clerkship in the chambers of Federal District Court Judge N. Carlton Tilley, Jr. in Greensboro.  The following year, he held another prominent clerkship in the Sixth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati with Federal Circuit Court Judge Nathaniel R. Jones. After completing his clerkship, Green joined the law firm of Smith Helms Mulliss & Moore LLP. He worked his way up to partner after six years before joining CMS in 2001.

Green has received numerous accolades for his work at CMS as well as in the community. In 2011, he was selected to receive the Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award, given by the National School Public Relations Association. Other past honors include “Top 40 Under 40” from the Charlotte Business Journal and the Black Women’s Caucus of Charlotte’s Trailblazer award. He served on numerous nonprofit boards in Charlotte, including the YMCA, the Arts and Science Council and the Crisis Assistance Ministry. He currently serves on the board of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. In addition, Green is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Green and his wife, Stephanie, a school psychologist, are the proud parents of two children, Brianna, 16, and Isaiah, 12.