CALDWELL COUNTY — Caldwell County Board of Education chair Darrell Pennel was recently awarded the North Carolina School Board Association’s Raleigh Dingman Award, the highest honor a school board member can receive in North Carolina. Pennel spoke in an interview with the News-Topic about his time on the Caldwell school board and about receiving the award.
“I was appointed by the board in 2010,” Pennel said. “My wife had passed away from cancer; she had been on the board. They needed a replacement. All my life I had been dedicated to education … for 33 years. When she passed away, I decided that I could be a part of trying to advocate for children and for our teachers and our staff. I was fortunate enough that they allowed me to take over that role, and I’ve been on the board ever since then.”
Pennel has served on the board for more than 14 years now, attending school events and working to support teachers and students however possible, he said.
Pennel said this service was a good learning experience that eventually lead to his nomination, and then his receipt, of the Raleigh Dingman Award in 2024. As a recipient of the award, Pennel serves as an advisor to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, and his first official meeting with the board was held on Thursday, Jan. 9.
“Its was a very interesting meeting,” Pennel said, “and the scope of what the state board deals with is more than most members of the public realize … I am very impressed with the dedication that they have to that.”
Regarding his receipt of the award, Pennel said, “t was a great surprise. They did an excellent job of keeping that from me. Evidently, Dr. Phipps and his staff knew about it several weeks in advance and didn’t indicate anything at all about it.”
“It’s a great honor, and I appreciate being selected as the recipient of the Dingman Award,” Pennel said. “I am just one of the many, really great board members in the state. There were many others that deserved it as well, and I was very humbled to be in that position. A great honor to also be able to represent Caldwell County. One of the greatest, if not the greatest in my life.”
Caldwell County Schools’ public information officer Nathan Pope also noted that the system’s Beginning Teacher Mentor Program won the North Carolina School Board Association’s Innovation and Excellence in Public Education award.
The award recognizes exemplary work in education that creates solutions to challenges faced in a school district.
“Throughout the state, educator retention is an ongoing concern,” Pope said. “In response, Caldwell County Schools has put great effort behind a data and feedback-driven Beginning Teacher Mentor Program.Through the program, a dedicated group of veteran teachers mentor early-career educators during their first three years in the classroom. Traditionally, first-year teachers are paired with a veteran teacher at their school who is available for questions and performs periodic check-ins. CCS found this approach was dated and needed improvement. In collaboration with CCS Human Resources, Beginning Teacher Mentors developed a structured process of developing relationships with early-career teachers, providing them with tailored resources and guidance, and even supporting them in their personal endeavors as they acclimate to life as young professionals.”
Pope said that the program has demonstrated proven results, with a teacher attrition rate lowering to 1.4% compared to a 15% state average.v