BALDWIN COUNTY, Ga. — When Noris Price took the position as Baldwin County's Superintendent in 2014, she says identified her students' needs early on.
"We do have a challenge when it comes to poverty in our community and students that are economically disadvantaged, making sure that we also provided the wrap around services that our children need," Price said.
She went after grants to help fund reading programs and services in school to help their students in need.
"We knew that was a challenge for our students, not having access to quality healthcare. Working with Georgia College and Communities in Schools, we went after a federal grant that allowed us to open up a school based health clinic at the Early Learning Center that's opened to all of our students and employees," Price said.
When schools shutdown from COVID-19 in Spring, she led a taskforce to make sure every student had a device and access to internet before schools reopened.
"On August 19, we were able to open school and give our parents a choice. They could come in person or choose to do a remote learning," Price said.
The Georgia School Superintendents Association is recognizing her a second time, naming her a finalist for the 2020 and 2021 Georgia Superintendent of the Year.
She's hoping this time will do the trick.
"This award speaks to exactly who I am as an educator. It's about partnership, it's about collaboration and it's about making a difference in the lives of children," Price said.
Under Price's leadership, Baldwin Schools earned the 2020 Charter System of the Year Award by the Charter System Foundation.
The Georgia Superintendent of the Year will be announced at a virtual conference in December.
Bleckley County's Superintendent Steve Smith is also one of the four finalists for Georgia Superintendent of the Year.