Asheville City Schools

A veteran superintendent with more than 25 years of educational experience, Dr. Gene Freeman is currently the superintendent of Asheville City Schools.  

     Despite starting his tenure in the midst of a global pandemic, Dr. Freeman is motivated, eager and ready to work with the Asheville City Schools team to make a great school district even better.  Since starting on June 1st, he’s collaborated with staff to begin the school year remotely, supported students in Kindergarten - 12th Grade through community-based small groups known as pods as well as brought to light racial inequities like the current name of Vance Elementary School. 

     Dr. Freeman began his career in the Public Schools of Robeson County in Lumberton, North Carolina first as a teacher, then as the Initially Licensed Teacher Coordinator, before being promoted as the Executive Director for Curriculum and Support Programs. 

     In August 2006, Dr. Freeman was selected as superintendent of the Weatherly Area School District in Pennsylvania.  There he served 800 students, of which more than 40% experienced less access.

     Two years later, Dr. Freeman began his tenure as superintendent of Manheim Township School District in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a position he held for nearly six years.  Under his leadership, Manheim Township developed an International Baccalaureate high school, moved the district from a multi-million deficit in 2009 to a multi-million surplus by 2013 and was responsible for the design and completion of $120 million in construction projects. 

     Prior to his current position at Asheville City Schools,   Dr. Freeman was the superintendent of the Fox Chapel Area School District.  There, he increased student academic growth year after year based on state and national standards.  He also developed and implemented several STEAM Academies, created a Spanish immersion program and started a Pre-K program at one of his elementary schools.

     Dr. Freeman is a 2000 Fulbright Scholar, a 2001 Milken Educator Award Recipient and is a published education scholar. 

     He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master of Arts in Education degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and his Doctorate in Education from Fayetteville State University.  He received his National Board Certification for Teaching in 2001 and performed post-graduate studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in both 2007 and 2015.  Additionally, he attended the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Education Policy Fellowship Program.  In 2014, his district also received the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence because of its high student achievement.