Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) has named Nathalie Henderson, Ph.D., its new Chief Schools Officer. Henderson will be responsible for the oversight of the school supervision team, including all school leaders in IPS. She will advocate and inform the district’s organizational vision, policies and strategies to support schools and student learning. Henderson will report directly to IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson and serve as a member of her executive leadership team.
Henderson most recently served as area superintendent of the Central Learning Community (CLC) for Fulton County Schools in Atlanta, Georgia, where she supervised and supported 18 schools and approximately 15,000 students. Under her leadership, the number of failing schools decreased from six to one, and every school was removed from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement Turnaround Eligible Schools List.
Before this role, Henderson was an instructional leadership director for Oklahoma City Public Schools where she supervised 11 elementary schools. Of those schools, 55% improved their score on the Oklahoma A-F report card and disciplinary suspensions decreased significantly. Henderson also served with St. Louis Public Schools for 12 years as principal, assistant principal and special education teacher.
Henderson earned a doctorate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis; an education specialist degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia; a master’s in education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis; and a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College.
Henderson and her husband, Terrell, have five children.