Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools named Catty  Moore as interim superintendent at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting. 

Moore served as superintendent of the Wake County Public School System from 2018 to 2023. The first woman and Latina to hold the role, she led the district during a financially turbulent time navigating its own budget shortfalls. She is a current member of the North Carolina State Board of Education and has over 30 years of public education experience. 

Moore will replace current superintendent Tricia McManus, who will retire June 30. 

“Catty is amazing. She’s an incredible, experienced superintendent with just an incredible reputation [as a] leader in our state,” McManus, who had no say in the choice of interim superintendent, said about Moore. “She is community-oriented. She is an equity champion. She will have ducks in a row and she will know exactly what to do to come in and move things forward around budget savings.”

Last week, the district announced the updated budget shortfall for the 2024-2025 school year is $42 million— up from the previous projection of only $8 million. 

“The district anticipates using all its unrestricted fund balance — similar to an emergency savings account — to assist in covering expenses. District leaders are also actively working with Forsyth County on options to repay money owed to the state,” the district said in a statement. 

McManus floated borrowing from the Child Nutrition Fund balance, grant reimbursement, and a few other savings to equal roughly $10 million. The district would then ask Forsyth County for a one-time payment of the remaining $32 million, to eventually be paid back.

This comes after the May 13 Board of Education meeting revealed next year’s shortage was $13 million more than the previously projected $8 million. 

Declining enrollment and a failure to plan for a reduction in state and federal funding are cited as the main reasons for the budget shortfall. 

WS/FCS leaders have met with stakeholder groups, principals, and teachers to identify potential areas for savings. 

The district released a list of ideas Superintendent Tricia McManus presented to the board to address next year’s $13 million deficit, including:

• Eliminating all district cell phones. Savings: $215,000. This was an additional cost savings beyond the reduction of cell phones already underway.  
• Reducing color printing and some floor waxing. Savings: $200,000. 
• Eliminate substitutes for teaching assistants, except where required by law. Savings: $400,000. 
• Reduce Pre-K classrooms due to low enrollment. Savings: $400,000.  
• Increasing class size for grades 4-12 by two students. It would change class sizes to 27 students for grades 4-5; 29 students for middle school; and 31 for high school. Savings: $6.6 million. 
• Transporting students only to residential or magnet schools, eliminating transportation for choice schools. Savings: $3.5 million. 
• Eliminating supplemental and diagnostic programs. Savings: $826,000. 

Any policy changes or staff reduction will require board approval; 81 positions have already been eliminated this year. 

Watch a recording of the meeting here. 

The next board of education meeting will take place Tuesday, June 10. 

Click here for Scope News’ previous coverage.

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