Congratulations to Todd Goforth for being named the 2023 ACS Supervisor of the Year! As Chief of Academics, Goforth oversees a number of departments and initiatives that help support students and staff, including academics and curriculum in all grades K-12, Special Education, and technology. Hired as one of the first employees when ACS formed in 2014, he has become a valuable member of Superintendent Jeff Mayo’s Executive Staff.
“When I have to be away, I often leave Mr. Goforth in charge as my district designee because I have trust in his sound decision making and ability to lead," Superintendent Mayo said. “He is very solution-oriented, always looking for a solution or workaround for every complex or difficult issue that crosses his desk. But at the same time, he leads by encouraging the employees in his department and valuing the expertise they bring to the job. He lets them know their value to the district, and it’s that leadership quality that has helped his department become so successful.”
During his tenure overseeing Academics, Goforth has managed initiatives that have transformed the way curriculum is taught and delivered throughout ACS. In the 2015-2016 school year, long before the COVID-19 pandemic made it mainstream, he supervised the rollout of the district’s 1:1 iPad Initiative, which gave every student, now in Grades K-12, an iPad for instruction. In what he describes as possibly his greatest accomplishment while at ACS, Goforth points to the implementation and expansion of several multi-million-dollar academic programs at Arlington High School, including Machining, Mechatronics, Cybersecurity, STEM, BioSTEM, Pre-Nursing, among other Career & Technical Education programs. He also played a major role in building out the Media Arts program, which included a renovation of the TV studio and an on-going investment into the live streaming of sports, and establishing STEM for All in Grades K-12.
“I really see this Supervisor of the Year Award as a team effort,” Goforth said. “My role is to build encouragement and build leadership in other team members because they will be the future of ACS. My team members’ contributions are just as much a part of this district as the things I’ve helped implement. I try to let everybody do their jobs and build their own leadership skills to become better, and in turn, that builds a strong team. At the end of the day, my team at District Office is here to make things work for principals, teachers and students and accommodate them as best as possible so they can become even more successful.”
Prior to his time in Arlington, Goforth spent much of his career involved in ESL, or English as a Second Language. As supervisor of Legacy Shelby County Schools’ ESL program, his department was nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the “model ESL program” and won two Tennessee School Boards Association Excellence in Education Awards. He also once served as president for Tennessee’s ESL state-wide organization, which positioned him to win the TDOE’s State Presidents Award. He also was named the Memphis/Shelby County CORE Finalist Supervisor of the Year in 2013-2014.
“It’s funny to say, but I think of him as a ‘Renaissance man.’ He knows a little about everything and is so knowledgeable about so many areas,” said Rochelle Douglas, ACS Chief of Accountability. “He always supports people in any way that he can, and for me, he’s been a support system. He’s created a safe place to bounce ideas back and forth and brainstorm different things. He brings a different vantage point that is often helpful, I know for myself and others.”
Goforth will now be submitted for the regional and state Supervisor of the Year competition as he represents ACS over the next year!
