🏫✨Leading with Purpose: Dr. Potter-Murray Shares Vision for Hopewell Special Education

By Hopewell Sports Nation Student Writer -Jacob Zupsic

HOPEWELL — Hopewell Sports Nation had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Carrie Potter-Murray to discuss her vision for the Hopewell Area School District’s special education department. In a wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Potter-Murray shared both her professional philosophy and personal journey, offering insight into how she plans to support students, staff, and families across the district.

For HSN’s student interviewer, the experience provided a unique perspective.

“As a student writer, interviewing high-level administrators like Dr. Potter-Murray gives me a better understanding of how leaders in our district think and what they want for our schools,” the student said. “It also gives our community a chance to learn more about the people working behind the scenes to make a difference.”

🌱 Building a Culture of Belonging

At the core of Dr. Potter-Murray’s philosophy are three simple but powerful words: Belong, Grow, Achieve.

“If all our students and staff feel a sense of belonging and acceptance, if they have the opportunity to grow as scholars and as people, and if they can see that they’ve achieved great things, then we’ve done our job as educators,” she explained.

That mindset drives her approach to leadership, which centers on collaboration, transparency, and listening.

“I always ask myself, ‘If I were working for me, what would I want?’” she said. “It’s important to listen first.”

She is currently holding listening sessions with teachers, counselors, and paraprofessionals throughout the district to better understand what’s working and where support is needed.

🔍 Focusing on Solutions that Matter

When challenges arise, Dr. Potter-Murray emphasizes getting to the root of the issue.

Referencing a quote by Desmond Tutu, she explained the importance of addressing problems at their source rather than simply reacting to outcomes.

“When you go to the root of a challenge, you begin to see the systems and opportunities at play,” she said. “That’s how you create meaningful and lasting change.”

👩‍🏫 Staying Connected to Classrooms

Rather than leading from behind a desk, Dr. Potter-Murray plans to stay actively engaged in schools.

“I’m seldom at my desk,” she said. “I’m usually walking through classrooms, seeing what students and staff are doing, and being part of the daily routine.”

That presence, she believes, is essential to understanding student needs and supporting teachers effectively.

🤖 Technology as a Tool—Not a Replacement

While recognizing the benefits of technology and AI, Dr. Potter-Murray made it clear that they should enhance—not replace—quality teaching.

“There’s a difference between supplementing and supplanting instruction,” she said. “A knowledgeable, compassionate teacher can’t be replaced by technology.”

She also highlighted the importance of tools like AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices in supporting student communication, while emphasizing the continued importance of human interaction.

🎓 Defining a Well-Rounded Education

Dr. Potter-Murray believes education should meet students where they are and prepare them for life beyond the classroom.

“A well-rounded education includes multiple ways of learning—visual, verbal, and hands-on,” she said. “It also means valuing areas like music, physical education, STEM, and robotics.”

She stressed that success should be individualized, whether a student is preparing for college or life skills beyond high school.

🤝 Expanding Inclusion and Understanding

One of her key goals is to increase inclusive practices, including expanding co-teaching models where general and special education teachers work together in the same classroom.

“Some of the best outcomes I’ve seen for students happen in inclusive environments,” she said.

She also hopes to shift misconceptions about special education.

“Students with IEPs don’t need to be separated to succeed,” she noted. “When supported properly in inclusive settings, their growth is maximized.”

💡 Leading with Empathy

Dr. Potter-Murray encourages a culture built on curiosity and compassion.

“Instead of making judgments, lead with ‘I wonder,’” she said. “That opens the door to connection instead of creating barriers.”

📚 A Journey Rooted in Purpose

Her path to education began in journalism, where she worked on wrongful conviction cases with the Innocence Institute.

Driven by a passion for social justice, she transitioned into special education, starting as a Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) before becoming a teacher, supervisor, and eventually earning her doctorate in educational leadership from Point Park University.

“Every step I’ve taken has been for the love of the work,” she said.

🚀 Looking Ahead

Over the next five years, Dr. Potter-Murray outlined three primary goals:

• Strengthening systems that support special education access
• Expanding programming for all students
• Connecting graduates with meaningful post-secondary opportunities

🌼 Beyond the Office

Outside of her role, Dr. Potter-Murray is a wife and mother of three. She enjoys cooking, baking, gardening, and reading—so much so that her husband built a floor-to-ceiling home library.

“It feels like stepping into Beauty and the Beast,” she said.

Dr. Potter-Murray’s vision reflects a commitment to inclusion, growth, and meaningful outcomes for every student in the Hopewell Area School District—an approach that aligns with the values of the community she now serves.