Newsome: I was co-captain of my college chess team

Q&A with Marcus J. Newsome
By: Times-Dispatch Staff | Times-Dispatch
Published: September 02, 2012 Updated: September 02, 2012 – 12:00 AM

CHESTERFIELD, Va. —

What is an interesting fact about you that many people don’t know?

Most people do not know that I was co-captain of my college chess team. I first learned to play chess when I was 5 or 6 years old. As a child, my siblings and I did not watch much television. When we were not outside playing and exploring, we often played board games. I love chess because it enhances problem solving, thinking, memory and organizational skills.

What is your typical workday?

There is no such thing as a typical day in the life of a school superintendent. No two days are the same. I try to visit schools as often as possible — at least several times a week. My days also include meetings with parents, educators, political, business and civic leaders; reading and responding to emails and other written correspondences; reviewing data, research and budgets; participating in professional training; preparing speeches and presentations; and responding to the various problems and crises of the day.

What kind of student were you?

I consider myself a late bloomer due to frequent disruptions to my early schooling. However, I liked school and can’t ever remember staying home for a sick day. As a young student, I loved to read Aesop’s Fables. I had a vivid imagination, and the moral, instructional and entertaining quality of these fables appealed to my curiosity.

What was your favorite class and why?

My two favorite subjects were mathematics and art. Both subjects have their own unique language. For me, mathematics is the language of logic. It’s a process to explore problems that results in absolute truths. And art is a universal language that allowed me to explore my inner creativity. It’s probably fitting that my love for these two subjects led me to a career as mathematics and art teacher.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in a small rural town in northeastern North Carolina called Ahoskie. However, I grew up in a military family and lived in a variety of places including Enterprise, Ala.; Fort Sill, Okla.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Waterloo, N.Y.; Columbus, Ga.; and Pirmasens, Germany. After my father’s retirement from the U.S. Army, we settled back in Ahoskie, which is where I graduated from high school. Family, God, patriotism and education were the cornerstones of my upbringing.

What is your professional background?

I became superintendent of Chesterfield schools in October 2006. Before moving to Chesterfield, I served as superintendent of Newport News Public Schools, where all high schools were ranked by Newsweek magazine as among America’s Best High Schools. I also worked in Prince George’s County (Md.) Public Schools, the 17th-largest school system in the country with more than 130,000 students; serving as a regional executive director, director of student support programs and principal. I began my career as an art teacher and later became a mathematics teacher in the District of Columbia Public Schools. I also worked there as a curriculum writer and dean of students.

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