Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher

Greenville County Schools’ Superintendent, Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher, was selected as the District’s ninth CEO in May, 2004, after previously serving as Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Staff.  She joined Greenville County Schools in 1996 as Assistant Superintendent of Middle School Education, after serving 10 years as an associate superintendent and principal in Montgomery County Schools (Maryland).  Dr. Fisher’s lifelong work in education began as a teacher in New Jersey in 1969.  In the course of her career, she has served as teacher, principal, Assistant Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, Chief of Staff, and Superintendent.

A native of Virginia, Dr. Fisher began her post-secondary education studies at St. Paul’s College in Virginia, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1969.  She began post-graduate work at Rutgers, earning a masters degree in education in 1972, followed by a doctoral degree in 1984.  She also completed post-graduate studies at UCLA and the University of Utah.  Dr. Fisher’s educational philosophy focuses on connecting children to the purpose of learning, and helping them understand how success at school relates to a successful and fulfilling life.

While overseeing a school district of more than 67,000 students and a budget of more than $429 million, Dr. Fisher has championed smaller class sizes, increased rigor, and enhanced student opportunities.  As part of her emphasis on science curriculum, professional scientists have been hired as lab instructors in every one of Greenville County’s 47 elementary schools.  In addition, she has overseen the completion of the BEST Building Plan, and has developed a Capital Improvement Plan to upgrade and improve some of the older facilities in the district. 

As a direct result of her initiatives, Greenville County students have consistently outperformed their national peers on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and scored above the state average on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT).  In addition, the percentage of AP tests taken by GCS students that score a three, four, or five has improved from 43% to 48%.  Likewise, 10th grade students passing the High School Assessment Program Exam on their first attempt, has improved to 80.1%.

With Dr. Fisher at the helm of the District, Oakview Elementary received a 2006 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award, and Stone Academy was recognized with the top State Award for arts integration.  In 2006 alone, 15 GCS students were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, and in another nod to the progress of student learning under Fisher’s stewardship, the class of 2007 was offered more than $76.6 million in college scholarships.

Dr. Fisher and her husband, Tony, public safety director for the City of Spartanburg, are active in both the Greenville and Spartanburg communities.  Fisher serves on boards for the United Way of Greenville, Success by Six (an agency that promotes and supports early childhood education), the Alliance for Quality Education, and is a trustee for Spartanburg Methodist College and on the Board of Commissioners for Greenville Technical College.  She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Pleasantburg, the Greenville Professional Women’s Forum, the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA), and the South Carolina Superintendent’s Roundtable.  On the national level, she is a lifetime member of the NAACP, and a boulè member (leadership council) of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. 

In addition to serving her community, Dr. Fisher’s efforts have been recognized on the local and state levels with numerous awards, including:  2007 Outstanding Superintendent by the Career and Technology Education Administrators Division of SCASA, an honorary degree bestowed by Future Farmers of America, the 2005 Women Making History Award, Greenville Magazine Administrator of the Year, and The Order of the Jessamine, an honor bestowed on women making a difference in their communities.  Her professional organizations include the American and South Carolina Association of School Administrators, Phi Delta Kappa, the National and South Carolina Alliance of Black School Educators, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. 

In setting an example of self improvement and development, Dr. Fisher has participated in Leadership Greenville, the Furman University Women’s Leadership Connections, and the Diversity Leadership Academy of the Richard W. Riley Institute of Government, Politics and Public Leadership at Furman University.

( August 2007)

Contact

Dr. Phinnize Fisher
Superintendent
(864) 355-8860
FAX: 355-8867
pfisher@greenville.k12.sc.us