Dr. Steven Staples
Dr. Steven Staples joins the William and Mary School of Education
Faculty this fall full-time as Executive Professor. Staples had been
teaching at the W&M SOE in an Adjunct or Clinical Executive role
since 1994 while also serving the York County Public School System as
the Superintendent of Schools. York County Public Schools has 10
elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 1 alternative
school, which together, serve more than 12,000 students and their
families. “I had been superintendent in the division for 17 years.
That’s a very long tenure given the national and state averages. I
felt like it was time for me to seek a different path and allow the
division to benefit from a different perspective at the helm. Since
the School Board had just started a new four year term, it seemed a
good time to make the move and bring in a new superintendent.” York
County Public Schools are known for supplying students with an
environment of academic rigor and excellence in education. Staples
brings a wealth of experience in K-12 education policy, planning, and
leadership. Jennifer Parish, Ed.D., current Superintendent of Poquoson
City Schools remarked, “The College of William
and Mary is very fortunate to have Dr. Steven Staples as a full-time
faculty member. He has been a highly respected leader in the field
education, at both the state and national level, for many years. His
vast experience as superintendent will serve him well as he continues
to prepare the educational leaders of the future. He has mentored
countless school administrators, including superintendents, so now his
students can benefit from his talents and passion for education.”
Staples entered this profession as a teacher and has enjoyed teaching students at the graduate level at William and Mary for the past 18 years. He also has served as a guest lecturer in several undergraduate classes at William and Mary. “As an alum of William and Mary (B.A. 1976 and M.Ed. 1983), the chance to join the faculty and staff at the School of Education was too compelling to pass up. The reputation and status of the School of Education and the faculty here helped make the decision an easier one,” he remarked. His current teaching responsibilities include this semester, EPPL 611 Theories of Curriculum and Evaluation and EPPL 631 Educational Facilities. Next semester he will teach, EPPL 660 Educational Law, EPPL 642 Interpersonal and Public Relations in Education, and EPPL 586/587 Internship in Administration and Supervision I & II.
Staples related that “there are still things about the superintendency that I miss, especially the interactions with the students, parents, and staff in York County”. The transition, he reports, “has been both easy and hard”. He describes the work at William and Mary as being very stimulating and exciting; which has helped him to focus on the positive aspects of the move. “I am excited to be involved in preparing the ‘next generation’ of school leaders and firmly believe that W&M needs to be actively engaged in that work. We are currently working on crafting an Executive Ed.D. program in EPPL that will focus on practicing professionals already engaged in leadership roles in K-12 settings. I hope to play a part in developing and implementing that program during my time on staff.” Staples described being honored to join the faculty at the William and Mary School of Education, “their contributions to the field of education are impressive and I am pleased to have joined them.”
