Ms. Susan Perdue Named JCPS 2025 Career & Technical Education Teacher of the Year

SMITHFIELD, NC – Ms. Susan Perdue, the Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher at Clayton High, has been selected as the Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) 2025 Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year.

Ms. Perdue has been teaching at Clayton High for eight years and is a CTE Business and Marketing teacher. She teaches entrepreneurship and business management career pathways, and is also the school’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) Adviser. 

She began her career in education eight years ago, teaching personal finance. Before deciding to become an educator, Ms. Perdue had a career in finance working in a credit union, which made the transition seamless. “It was easy to come in and teach the students because I was already interacting with a lot of their parents and their finances,” said Ms. Perdue. “I came into CTE to make a difference. I love the kids, I love what I teach, and I love CTE.” 

"Ms. Perdue embodies what it means to be a 'Teacher Leader’. She plays a pivotal role in guiding the district's professional learning community of high school business teachers, mentoring new educators, and supporting students' future-readiness through her long standing dedication to Career & Technical Student Organizations like DECA and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA),” Reno Palombit, JCPS Director of Career & Technical Education said. 

“Susan embraces every challenge with enthusiasm—whether developing our district honors curriculum, assembling classroom furniture, or tackling any other duties as assigned. Her resolute commitment and versatility make her an invaluable asset to Johnston County Public Schools, particularly at Clayton High School, where students and colleagues alike are fortunate to have her,” Palombit added.

As the JCPS 2025 CTE Teacher of the Year, the school district will nominate her to be considered as one of the 24 North Carolina CTE Teacher of the Year Finalists. Finalists will attend a week of professional development in December, during which time the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) CTE Teacher of the Year Selection Committee will interview each finalist. At the end of the week, the NCCAT CTE Teacher of the Year winner will be announced at a recognition celebration.