Emmanuel “Manny” Caulk, who joined Fayette County Public Schools on Aug. 3, 2015, was the school board’s unanimous choice to be the district’s next leader. His contract runs through June 2019 with a starting salary of $240,000.
“We have everything we need here in Fayette County to make our mission a reality – talented students, dedicated employees, caring families and supportive community members. I’m encouraged and excited by the opportunity to do great work alongside each of you,” Caulk said on his first day at work.
Excerpt from Caulk’s initial email to FCPS staff after his hiring:
Please allow me to introduce myself by sharing my core values. Together we will set shared values for our organization that will guide our next steps. I believe:
- Students come first;
- Victory is in the classroom;
- Leadership, capacity building and collaboration for results are keys to success; and
- Families are our partners.
Fayette County is a great community, and working together to improve morale and rebuild relationships, we are going to be much better tomorrow than we are today.
Standards of Practice
The school board, by unanimous vote on Oct. 26, 2015, approved a “standards of practice” document outlining 14 agreements they drafted during a retreat with Caulk.
The back story
Caulk had been superintendent of Portland Public Schools, Maine’s largest school district, since 2012. He previously was an assistant superintendent in the School District of Philadelphia, serving 167,000 students. He also was assistant regional superintendent and deputy chief for the office of instruction and leadership support, and was assistant superintendent for high schools of the 46,000-student East Baton Rouge Parish School System.
When hired by FCPS, Caulk had been in education for 19 years, with experience as a special education teacher in a juvenile detention facility, an elementary principal, and a high school principal. He also practiced law, serving as an education law attorney and former assistant prosecutor for the state of New Jersey.
Caulk earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Delaware and a law degree from Widener University School of Law. He is completing his doctoral degree in education.