Agenda Item
b. Approval of a Personnel Item from Executive Session
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Tekshia Ward-Smith, Administrator, Division of Human Resources
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the hiring of Dr. Marcia Oglesby as the Director of Grants and Partnerships.
Details: The organizational alignment and department supervision for the Director of Exceptional Education are as follows:
Direct report to the Deputy Superintendent of Community Empowerment, Innovation, and Partnership
Department of Supervision: Grants and Partnerships
Financial impact: There is no impact to the general budget as the position already exists in the general budget.
Contact: Dr. Tekshia Ward-Smith, Administrator, Division of Human Resources, 678.676.1200
Effective: The appointment will be effective upon approval by the Board of Education.
Status: Attorney approval is not required.
Marcia Oglesby, Ph.D.
Career Profile: Over 22 years of experience in education, serving in various roles
from teaching to leadership. Key areas of responsibility: resource development,
writing winning proposals for grants, programs, and initiatives, developing and
facilitating professional learning, data collection and analysis, Balanced Scorecard
and Strategic Plan updates, securing and sustaining strategic partnerships and
funding opportunities aligned to the Strategic Plan and Continuous School
Improvement Plans, curriculum writing, program development, and communicating
with internal and external stakeholders.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
DeKalb County School District August 2017 – present
Grants and Partnership Development Coordinator
Stone Mountain, Georgia
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders
to secure funding, partnerships, and resources
• Research funding opportunities and innovative approaches to support
programs and initiatives aligned to the district’s strategic plan
• Oversee the district level grants process aligned to board and financial
policies; and serve as the direct contact to provide technical support to
internal and external stakeholders
• Lead teams to assist with writing grants, special programs, and proposals to
submit on behalf of the schools and district
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders and partners to
support programs and initiatives and recognize their efforts for providing
support
• Participate in meetings to develop new partnerships to secure resources and
individual, local, state, and federal funds
• Lead the monthly partner’s roundtable to generate and share ideas
• Develop and facilitate professional learning grants and partnership sessions
focused on obtaining supplemental funds and resources
• Update and maintain the department’s website and SharePoint site
DeKalb County School District August 2014 – August 2017
Research, Data, Evaluation and Grants Coordinator
Stone Mountain, Georgia
• Conducted data analysis of College and Career Readiness
Performance Index (CCRPI), MAP, and standardized assessment data
• Provided data analysis professional learning for principals and district level
staff
• Monitored and updated the district’s Balanced Scorecard with the Georgia
Milestones assessment data
• Collected data for the AdvancED/Cognia certification process
• Analyzed district level assessment and developed data briefs for principals,
senior leaders, and the superintendent
• Facilitated and monitored the district level grants process
• Read and scored dissertation and university research proposals as a member
of the district’s research review committee
• Created grant procedures aligned to the district’s board and financial policies
• Led teams to assist with writing grant proposals aligned to the district’s
strategic plan and submitted grant applications to potential funders
• Developed and facilitated grants and partnership professional learning
sessions focused on obtaining supplemental funds for schools and the district
Atlanta Public Schools July 2012 – August 2014
Common Core Implementation Specialist Atlanta, Georgia
• Provided district level support to all high schools (focus, turnaround, and
needs improvement schools) to promote college and career readiness skills
• Assisted with leading the district wide plan for the implementation of
Literacy/Social Studies Standards
• Led the district-wide secondary social studies initiatives and programs
• Managed district teams to develop a challenging and rigorous curriculum and
created unit and lesson plans
• Promoted curriculum integration as a practice to deepen student knowledge,
conceptual understandings and application of core content and process
standards
• Researched instructional resources, teaching strategies, formative and
summative assessments, and interpreted and analyzed assessment results to
improve student outcomes
Federal Grants Peer Reviewer July 2009 – present
U.S. Department of Education Washington D.C.
• Read, scored, and provided descriptive oral and written comments for federal
grant competitions for the U.S. Department of Education
• Selected as a peer reviewer for the Investing in Innovation Fund, Education,
Innovation, and Research Grant, Hawaiian Native, Communities in Schools,
Smaller Learning Communities, and other grant competitions
School Improvement Instructional Coach July 2011 – July 2012
Fulton County Schools Atlanta Georgia
• Collaborated with staff in Professional Learning Communities to improve
classroom instruction and the implementation of effective instructional
methods
• Analyzed student and teacher assessment data to determine teaching and
learning effectiveness and provided recommendations to teachers and
leaders; Co-facilitated bimonthly data team meetings
• Facilitated district level English Language Arts professional learning and led
instructional rounds
• Assisted middle schools with securing the GADOE Striving Readers’ grant
English Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator July 2010 – July 2011
Alexandria City Public Schools Alexandria, Virginia
• Led the secondary (Grades 6-12) literacy instructional program and
initiatives for Alexandria City Public Schools while serving as the district level
secondary literacy coordinator
• Developed English Language Arts curriculum maps and units, created
performance tasks and valid and reliable benchmark assessments aligned to
the standards
• Developed and facilitated professional learning sessions for teachers,
administrators, and senior leadership
• Monitored, led, and evaluated district level literacy programs and initiatives
(READ 180, Literacy Across the Curriculum, Teachers College Writing
Workshop, and other grant-funded programs)
• Compiled department budgetary requests and purchased instructional
resources for the secondary schools
• Oversee the grants budgets and ensure compliance with federal guidelines
• Conducted walk-throughs and instructional rounds to progress monitor
curriculum implementation
• Updated the secondary literacy’s web-based content and instructional
resources on SharePoint and the Alexandria City Public Schools’ website
English Teacher, George Washington Middle School Nov. 2009 to July 2010
Alexandria City Public Schools Alexandria, Virginia
• Taught sixth grade English Language Arts
• Monitored academic progress of all students through formative and
summative assessments and provided feedback
• Content team leader for the grade level and served as a mentor teacher
Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher July 1999 – August 2009
Kendrick Middle School Jonesboro, Georgia
• Taught various grades levels and multiple content areas
• Analyzed student data and monitored student progress to increase
achievement levels
• Served in various roles as team leader, grade level chairperson, social
studies chairperson, lead mentor teacher, school improvement leadership
team member, district level facilitator, and administrative assistant principal
• Led monthly meetings to discuss academic progress of students and
facilitated professional learning communities
• Integrated technology and best practices in lesson plan and unit
development as a social studies and language arts teacher
• Served as a district-level Georgia Performance Standards Trainer and
professional development facilitator
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy Research in K-12 Education Capella University (2010)
Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Supervision
PreK-12 Lincoln Memorial University (2003)
Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction Central Michigan University (2001)
Teacher Support Specialist Certification Clayton County Public Schools (2001)
Middles Grades Education Teacher Certification in Science, English, and Social Studies Mercer
University (1999)
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology; Minor in Psychology and Family and Community Services
Georgia State University (1993)
ASSOCIATIONS
• Georgia State University Board of Directors Member (2019 – present)
• Metro Atlanta School Districts’ Partnership Collaborative (2017 – present)
• Vice President, Southern Crescent Pearls Foundation, Inc. (2020-2021)
• Member at Large, Southern Crescent Pearls Foundation, Inc. (2021 – present)
• DeKalb County School District and DeKalb County Police Department - COPS
Stop School Violence Grant Implementation Committee (2018 – present)
• DeKalb County School District’s Research Review Committee (2014 – 2018)
• SheSTEAMs Board of Directors Member (2018 – present)
• DCSD Educational Media District Wide Planning Committee (2014 – present)
• Exquisite P.E.A.R.L.S. (Pursuing Excellence and Raising Leaders for Success),
Mentor program to assist students in grades 7-12 achieve academic success
and prepare for college and careers (2007 – 2020)
• Volunteer for various community, military, and faith-based organizations
(ongoing)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Funded Programs and Initiatives:
o DeKalb County School District – Governor’s Office of Student
Achievement’s Community Partnerships Grant ($75,000)
o U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS STOP School Violence Prevention
Program Grant ($375,000)
o Tutoring Program Partnership Team Member (tutoring provided for
elementary students at no cost to DCSD)
o Department of Health and Human Services Human Trafficking Grant
(team member) $600,000
o Georgia Department of Education – Digital School Improvement Grant
(team member) $2.7 million
o Technical College System of Georgia’s Adult Education Program Grant
(team member) $1.975 million or $395,000 annually
o Increase in Donors Choose donations and resources from $250,000 in
2014 to over $4 million dollars in resources in 2022
o Alexandria City Public Schools (School Garden Club and Poetry Contest
Partnerships and Donations)
o USDOE Teaching American History Grant (team member) $3 million
(Clayton County Public Schools)
o Georgia Department of Education’s Striving Readers Grant ($350,000)
Fulton County Schools
o U.S. Department of Education’s Innovative Approaches to Literacy
Grant ($750,000)
• Teacher of the Year – Clayton County Public Schools (2008 – 2009)
• Georgia State University Leadership Cohort Series (2020 – 2021)
• Dare to Lead Certificate Program (2020 – 2021)
• College Board Presenter – “Win-Win Grants and Partnerships “(Los Angeles)
• Teacher of the Month (2000 – 2008) – Kendrick Middle School
• Community Service Awards (2008 – 2010) - Clayton County, Georgia
• Publication (2010) - Quantitative and Quasi Experimental Research Study,
Evaluating the Effects of Project GRAD’s (Graduation Really Achieves
Dreams) Effects on High School Students’ Achievement Levels