Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger has reappointed Dr. Aaron Fleming of Lillington, N.C., and Mrs. Julie Hart von Henner of Arden, N.C., to the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT). NCCAT is a recognized national leader in professional development programming for North Carolina teachers.
"We are delighted to welcome back Dr. Fleming and Mrs. von Henner to the Board,” said NCCAT Executive Director Dr. M. Brock Womble. “Their previous contributions were very valuable, and we are confident that their wealth of experience will continue to drive our mission to support teachers and positively impact students. We know they will continue to make important contributions to NCCAT and education in the state of North Carolina.”
Dr. Aaron Fleming began his service on the NCCAT Board of Trustees in 2012 and served as Chairman starting July 1, 2019. Under his leadership, the number of residential teachers served significantly increased. New programs such as NCCAT Online were developed to support digital and content area learning. NCCAT faculty also offered a variety of professional development in digital learning, literacy, coaching, math, STEM, beginning teacher support, and more. Additionally, NCCAT Teacher Leadership Institutes were created to develop classroom teachers as leaders.
Dr. Fleming serves as superintendent of Alamance-Burlington Schools. He was approved as the superintendent of ABSS on July 29, 2024. Prior to this position he was superintendent of Harnett County Schools since February 1, 2017. A product of North Carolina public schools, Dr. Fleming is a graduate of South Rowan High School in China Grove. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in agricultural education from N.C. State University, a master's degree in school administration from Appalachian State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Wingate University. He began his career as an Agricultural Education teacher and FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) Advisor at Central Cabarrus High School in Concord and later at Clayton High School in Johnston County. He then worked as the Career and Technical Education Director in Wilkes and Lee counties before serving as an education policy advisor to the North Carolina Speaker of the House.
Mrs. Julie Hart von Henner, a homegrown Henderson County Public Schools educator and West Henderson High graduate, will be teaching English III and IV at North Henderson High School this coming school year. She began her career with HCPS in August 2019 as an English teacher at Apple Valley Middle, upon graduating from UNC–Asheville with a degree in Literature and Teacher Licensure. von Henner is a member of the School Improvement Team and helped create the Gilded Knight program, which provides students access to free prom attire. She also assists with the school’s hunter safety team. von Henner was first appointed to the NCCAT Board of Trustees in 2020.
Dr. Fleming and Mrs. von Henner's terms began effective July 1, 2024, and will expire on June 30, 2028.
Per Section 115C-296.6 of the North Carolina General Statutes, the NCCAT Board of Trustees is composed of the following membership: the Chairman of the State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction or their designees (both ex officio members); two members appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; two members appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and eight members appointed by the Governor, one from each of the eight educational regions.