NORWIN SUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCES
RETIREMENT
Dr. William Kerr Has Served Norwin Since July 2010
D
r. William Kerr, Norwin
School District’s
Superintendent since
2010, has announced that he
plans to retire at the end of the
business day on June 28, 2019,
concluding a 42.3-year career in
public education and 25 years as a superintendent of schools,
which includes one-year as an interim superintendent.
“My years of service with the School District have been
extremely rewarding, and it is my hope that my leadership
skills and abilities have contributed to several successes,” Dr.
Kerr said. “The Norwin experiences have been phenomenal;
I am humbled to have served the school community, noting
that I have been enriched by many opportunities as an
educator.”
Dr. Kerr credited the various Boards, Administrators,
and Employees with whom he has worked for enhancing
educational opportunities for Norwin students and
professional development for educators and support staff.
“Dr. Kerr’s leadership, dedication, and enthusiasm at
Norwin have been key to the growth and success that Norwin
has experienced during his nine years at Norwin,” said Mr.
Robert Perkins, School Board immediate past president. “Dr.
Kerr’s drive for excellence and community involvement will
be hard to replace. While the Norwin Community will miss
Dr. Kerr, we wish him the best as he starts an exciting new
chapter in his life.”
Some highlights of Dr. Kerr’s Norwin career, which have
been a collective effort, include the following:
n
Continuous, steady improvement of student
achievement, consistently exceeding state-wide PSSA
and Keystone Exam average scores;
n Instrumental with securing local, state, federal, and
foundation grants for enhancing educational programs
and services (includes $1.95 million for Mobile Science &
Math state funding);
n Research, development, and implementation of the
United States Air Force Junior ROTC program at Norwin
High School;
n Instrumental with developing the Norwin STEM/STEAM
Innovation Program for Teaching and Learning;
n
The successful rollout of the Discovery Education/
Operation Prevention, in cooperation with the DEA and
FBI, opioids awareness curriculum at Norwin Middle
School which has been expanded to other grade levels
and includes a parent-community involvement
component;
n Selection of Norwin High School by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation as pilot site for cyber-security classes in
cooperation with the University of Pittsburgh’s College in
the High School program;
n The continuous effort towards Safe Schools, including
emergency planning, drills and training for students and
all employees;
n The initiation of a K-12-character education program to
foster the attributes of strong character;
n A formative assessment professional development
program for administrators and teachers (Duquesne
University’s Center for Advancing the Study of Teaching
and Learning or CASTL);
n The launch of a district-wide energy conservation
program that has netted $2.1 million in cost avoidance
since implementation in November 2010;
n The Gettysburg Battlefield Experience: In the Footsteps
of Leaders, a professional development program for
educators in public education; and
n A Cooperative Agreement for a Youth Ambassador
Program with IFA-EDU China for an educational and
cultural exchange program for students and teachers.
Dr. Kerr looks forward to spending more time with his
family and grandchildren, and plans to do some traveling.
Dr. Kerr is married to Debra L. Kerr and they have two adult
children and two grandsons. Kerr is a graduate of Slippery
Rock University (Bachelor’s degree), Duquesne University
(Master’s degree), and the University of Pittsburgh (Doctorate
degree).
To ensure a smooth transition during the next three
months, Dr. Kerr will provide the necessary executive
leadership so that the academic and financial aspects of
the School District are addressed accordingly. The Board of
Education is leading a search for the next Superintendent
with an expected hiring date of April 15, 2019.
NORWIN
❘
SPRING 2019
31