Memphis Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins Celebrates 100 Days of Progress and Vision for the Future

Marking her first 100 days at the helm of Memphis Shelby County Schools, Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins threw a celebratory event on Wednesday night in East Memphis. Attended by educators, officials, and the superintendent's support team, the gathering at the Hilton Hotel served as a stage to divulge the transition team's conclusions on future needs of the district, as Action News 5 reported.

Dr. Feagins said her first tenure segment went, “exactly the way that I had hoped.”  During the party previewing her ongoing tenure, joining to celebrate were also her parents. Notably, she has made strides in restructuring the district, eliminating 1,100 jobs with the purpose of bolstering classroom resources and support, as mentioned by The Daily Memphian.

The event also gave a nod to the "Legacy Builders," students on the transition team, who felt a newfound importance in the superintendent's presence. “No superintendent has ever come to the students before to see what we need,” one student expressed. Dr. Feagins not only acknowledged the transition team's work but also their final report listing priorities: augmenting student performance, building renovations, mental health wellness, and enhanced community involvement. She has already initiated progress, implementing a school bus app to inform on arrivals – a practical improvement for the students and their parents.

Challenges have not dampened Dr. Feagins' resolve. Teachers and business leaders, the "Legacy Legends," stand with the superintendent's vision for clearer communication and trust-building. One teacher acknowledged, "We haven’t really been the most trustworthy in the past," recognizing the hurdles ahead.

Feagins' goals extend to advocating for cafeteria staff's better pay and considering in-house custodial work over outsourcing, toppling the norms within the district's performance history. The FOX13 Memphis interview revealed her intentions: "Moving from a place where we are remediating, we can get into innovation."

With talks of a future 3-to-5-year plan, the district appears to be on the cusp of change under Dr. Feagins, who was MSCS's first permanent superintendent in nearly two academic years. The community's hopes and dreams are now intertwined with her leadership, echoing her words, "Listening to the hopes and dreams of a community, who wants something more, wants something more elevated, but more importantly, wants to be included," as reported by Action News 5.