Vivian Roach, second from right, who leads the Exceptional Children’s Program for Lenoir County Public Schools, accepts the Distinguished Service Award presented by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Exceptional Children. With her are, from left, Georgia Maready, the district’s EC program coordinator; Superintendent Brent Williams; and Stephanie Radford, EC instructional coordinator.

Vivian Roach, the leader of the Exceptional Children’s Program for Lenoir County Public Schools, is recipient of the Distinguished Service Award presented by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Exceptional Children.

Celebrated for her experience, depth of knowledge and steady-handed leadership, Roach was honored for her “significant contribution to the positive outcomes of students with disabilities in North Carolina.”

Roach received her Distinguished Service Award recently at the Office of Exceptional Children’s Spring Directors Institute in Greensboro. At the same conference, three EC teachers from the district were invited to make presentations on the work they’re doing to bolster the academic performance of EC students.

“I am very honored to receive this award,” Roach said. “It is a significant personal recognition, of course, but it is also recognition for the many hard-working and compassionate professionals with whom I have served over the course of my career.”

Superintendent Brent Williams praised Roach’s professionalism and dedication. “I want to congratulate Mrs. Vivian Roach for earning this statewide award for distinguished service,” he said. “She is a great educator, an outstanding leader – not only within our district, but also across our state – and a visionary and passionate advocate for her staff members and for the children that we serve.  Mrs. Roach is a true model of excellence in leadership and selfless, dedicated service to others.” 

Prior to joining LCPS as EC program director in 2013, Roach served in similar executive positions in three other public school districts in the state over 14 years, as well as education director for the Nova Center in Kinston for five years. In all, she has worked for nearly 50 years with students with disabilities as a teacher and administrator.

“Her professionalism is respected throughout the district and even the state. There aren’t many places one goes that someone doesn’t know who Mrs. Vivian Roach is,” two of her LCPS colleagues, Stephanie Radford and Georgia Maready, wrote in their award nomination letter. “Her mentorship has touched the lives of many currently in leadership positions within the Exceptional Children’s Department.”

Roach holds a bachelor of science degree in mental retardation, a master of arts degree in education learning disabilities and the Educational Administration and Supervision post-master’s degree, all from East Carolina University.

She retired from LCPS in 2018, returned in 2019 to serve a short stint as interim Federal Programs director and rejoined the district as head of the EC Department in late 2021.