Dr. Karen Norwood
Dr. Karen Norwood joined Biloxi Public School District in November as Director of Assessment and Federal Programs.
Dr. Norwood graduated with her doctorate from USM in Educational Administration with an emphasis in the superintendency. She graduated Summa cum Laude with a Specialist degree from USM and Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Mississippi.
Dr. Norwood served as a teacher and counselor for 8 years prior to entering school administration. Dr. Norwood administrative experience includes District Test Coordinator, Assistant Principal and Vocational Director and most recently Principal at FCAHS. FCAHS rose from a Level 3 to a Level 5 Superior Performing school that won the following awards from the Mississippi Department of Education during the 2005-06 school year: Closing the Achievement Award, the Dan Merritt Courage Award, the Superior Performance Award, and the Outstanding Gains in Student Achievement Award. Dr. Norwood was also award the 2006 and 2007 Principal Leadership Award by PREPS and named District IV MS Administrator of the Year by the Mississippi Department of Education.
Dr. Norwood is author of six articles in national counseling publications as well as the author of two counseling programs. She has been featured as a presenter at the Mississippi State Counseling Convention, the MS Early Childhood Associational State Conference, the National Educational Administrator’s conference in Branson, Missouri, the Mississippi Middle School State Conference and the Mississippi Department of Education MEGA conference. Dr. Norwood is a trainer for Licensure Renewal for Administrators with the Mississippi Department of Education and for John Maxwell’s “The 360 Degree Leader” and “Laws of Teamwork.”
Dr. Norwood’s accomplishments include: Rankin County School Teacher of the Month, Highest scorer in the history of a USM student on the National School Leader’s Licensure Exam, member of the USM Advisory Board, and a graduate of the 2005 Superintendent’s Academy sponsored by Nissan, corp.
Dr. Norwood is an active member of the Mississippi Counseling Association, National Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, American Association of School Administrators and the Mississippi Alliance for School Superintendents.
Dr. Norwood is married to Phillip Norwood, an attorney practicing in Diamondhead. The Norwood’s reside in Biloxi with their two daughters, Reagan- age 11 years old and Avery is 6 years old. Dr. Norwood’s hobbies include taking her children to gymnastics & cheerleading, entertaining, reading and visiting her family in Columbia, Mississippi and her sister and niece in Mobile, Alabama.