Second Class of Educators Honored for Completing AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model at National Conference on Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
James Minichello
703-875-0723
703-774-6953 (cell)
jminichello@aasa.org

Alexandria, Va. – Feb. 18, 2021 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce the 2021 class of educators to graduate from its Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model program. The announcement was made at the organization’s virtual National Conference on Education.

The program is a combination of in-person and online opportunities to master the various leadership qualities superintendents must have to excel on the job. Through real-world, situational leadership tasks, participants work collaboratively to prepare themselves to become the future leaders of school districts across the country.

“Congratulations to our Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model graduates,” said Daniel A. Domenech, AASA executive director. “Strengthening the pipeline of aspiring educators working to reach the top rung of school system leadership, particularly during the COVID environment in which we live, can never be more vital. Our participants have been able to build a professional network of colleagues they can collaborate with and learn from for the rest of their careers.” 

The 2021 AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model program graduates are:

• Melanie Barkley, technology coordinator, Athens City Schools, Athens, Ala.
• Adierah Berger, principal, International High School of New Orleans, New Orleans, La.
• Candace Bethea, coordinator of extended learning, Henry County Schools, McDonough, Ga.
• Vallerie Cave, associate superintendent, school transformation/innovation, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Savannah, Ga.
• Reuben Cooper, director of student support, Rockford Public Schools, Rockford, Ill.
• Alyssa Covington, principal, Page Unified School District 8, Page, Ariz.
• Cynthia Cuprill, principal, Los Angeles Leadership Academy, Los Angeles, Calif.
• Tracie Daniels, chief academic officer, Petersburg City Public Schools, Petersburg, Va.
• Louis Fletcher, director of culture and services, School District 49, Peyton, Colo.
• Justin Hefner, superintendent, Homewood City Schools, Homewood, Ala.
• John Hood, principal, Cullman County Schools, Cullman, Ala.
• Florrie O’Loughlin, technology teacher, Franklin Township Public Schools, Somerset, N.J.
• Sara Paul, superintendent, North Branch Area Public Schools, North Branch, Minn.
• Terea Peoples, principal, Chicago Public School District 299, Chicago, Ill.
• Shanna Spickard, instructional leader, Milan Area Schools, Milan, Mich.
• Christopher Trickett, assistant superintendent, secondary, Wilson School District, West Lawn, Pa.
• Keafer Triplett, principal, Coweta County School System, Newnan, Ga.
• Juanitta Vann, supervisor, Jefferson County Schools, Birmingham, Ala.

For more information about AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy®, contact Mort Sherman, AASA associate executive director, Leadership Network, at msherman@aasa.org.

The National Conference on Education routinely convenes the most prominent education thought leaders addressing the most pressing issues in the education landscape. The ongoing challenges brought on by the public health crisis escalates the importance of a national conference where the leaders of our nation’s public school districts are attending.

For more information about the conference, access AASA’s Conference Daily Online.

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About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.