Christopher Ballenger, Ed.D., has served as Superintendent for Warren County Public Schools in Front Royal, Virginia, since 2020. He also served as Superintendent in the Jennings Public School District in Oklahoma for 13 years. Throughout his career, he has held various educational and leadership positions, including Assistant Superintendent, Principal, Teacher, Athletic Director, Coach, and Physical Education Teacher. He earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Southwestern College. He also holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, Health, and Safety, both from Oklahoma State University.
Jerry L. Oates, Ed.D. currently serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer for Sumter School District. Prior to this role, he served as the Deputy State Superintendent of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Dr. Oates served as Superintendent of the Brunswick County School System in North Carolina for five years. He has experience as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, middle and high school principal, Chief Human Resources Officer, and Chief Academic Officer/Associate Superintendent. He earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Fayetteville State University and his Master of School Administration and Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
John Tharp, Ed.D. is a school administrator in York County, South Carolina. He recently served as a district and school administrator in Tennessee and also as a Superintendent in Wisconsin. He has supervised the district level offices of finance, operations, instruction, special education and human resources as well as elementary, middle and high school principals. He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master’s degree in Curriculum in Instruction also at UNC-Chapel Hill and a bachelors in History from Illinois Wesleyan University where he also played basketball. He taught high school social studies using an inquiry-based approach in low and high performing schools in North Carolina for nine years before moving into school administration.
The board made its selection of the three finalists after a thorough review of all applicants and interviews with semi-finalists on April 24-26 and May 14, 2025. The finalists will be in the district on May 21 to tour schools and meet with staff. There will be a Community Meet and Greet that evening at 6:00 p.m. at Palmetto Learning Center in Chesterfield to allow parents, staff, and community members to have an opportunity to meet all three finalists. The finalists will have their final interviews with the board on June 10.
“The board is pleased to present three highly qualified candidates for this crucial leadership position,” said Board Chair Kim Burch. “The board looks forward to the next phase in the search process.”