Meet Mallory Floyd, longtime Canton City Schools educator
Having been in education for 34 years, with 27 of those at Canton City Schools, Mallory D. Floyd decided to retire in December. She was the deputy superintendent at the time.
“While at Canton City Schools, I had had the opportunity to serve in multiple positions,” she said. “I’ve served as a special education teacher, girls’ basketball coach at the middle and high school, special education supervisor, Arts Academy principal at Timken Senior High School, principal at Belden Elementary, director of Pre-K-2 instruction, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent.”
Floyd and her husband of 25 years, Curtis, live in Canton. The couple have three children and a dog. Cordell, Mia, Cayden and Cee Jay (the dog).
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She is a 1985 Canton McKinley Senior High School graduate. She has earned multiple degrees and licenses to further her career, including: a bachelor's degree in education from Miami University in 1989, with a major in special education and a minor in early childhood education; a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Kent State University in 1996; principal license from Ashland University in 2000; and a superintendent license from the University of Dayton in 2014.
Floyd believes all students should be valued.
“All students deserve to learn and grow in a supportive environment that meets them where they are and takes them to the next level," she said. "I have always gravitated towards students who struggle, students who have disabilities and students who most people believe cannot perform as well as other students because of their circumstances. All students can learn if we design engaging and authentic lessons and set the environment in a way that all students are respected and valued."
Do you believe that education at all levels can be transformative to a child or person’s life?
Yes, education/learning at any age (child or adult) is transformative because the world is constantly changing. Being a lifelong learner will help you continue to move forward, thrive and succeed with the changes that are happening around you.
What drew you to become a part of the administration at Canton City Schools?
I knew my style of leadership was one of a servant leader who focuses on cultivating a collaborative culture and I knew I had a passion for seeing all students learn and grow.
Because I grew up in the Canton City Schools system, I had a vested interest in assisting the district in moving forward. I believed how I was raised and encouraged by my parents, Paul and Janet Martin, and watching my dad lead youth programs in the city of Canton for over 30 years that administration was part of my destiny.
What are some of your favorite charities or organizations you volunteer or support?
Canton City Schools, Lighthouse Ministries, TomTodd Ideas, Leila Green Alliance of Black School Educators, and the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).
What were your favorite subjects in high school and college?
English was my favorite subject because I have always enjoyed reading and creative writing. I loved my student teaching placements while at Miami University because I was able to teach in a wide variety of settings. An elementary school, a middle school and in one of Cincinnati’s hospitals. I taught basic skills to children who were medically fragile who could not attend school.
My other favorite subject/activity was basketball. I was co-captain of the Mckinley basketball team and co-captain of the Miami basketball team. I learned so much about being a leader, how to motivate teammates and how to accomplish goals as a team during those years. All of those life lessons have translated to my many years in educational leadership.
One for fun: What do you listen to when driving in your car?
When I am driving, I often listen to Heart & Soul channel (adult R&B hit music) on SiriusXM because I can sing to almost all the songs all the way to my destination.
Editor's note: Five questions with ... is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you'd like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Five questions with Mallory Floyd, longtime Canton Schools educator
