Nation’s Top School System Leaders Meet in Washington for AASA’s National Superintendent of the Year® 2020 & 2021 Forum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
James Minichello
703-774-6953
jminichello@aasa.org

Alexandria, Va. – December 8, 2021 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, the nation’s premier voice for school system leaders, recently hosted the National Superintendent of the Year® 2020 and 2021 Forum, an event honoring excellence in school district leadership.    

The forum, themed Leading For Educational Equity, was held Nov. 4-5 at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. The gathering included a full day of federal education policy panels followed by a gala spotlighting the 2020 and 2021 National Superintendents of the Year®, Gustavo Balderas, superintendent of Edmonds School District, in Lynnwood, Wash., and Michelle Reid, superintendent of the Northshore School District in Bothell, Wash., respectively. (Balderas was named the 2020 National Superintendent of the Year® while serving as superintendent of the Eugene School District 4J in Eugene Ore.)

Video: Michelle Reid: 2020 & 2021 Superintendent of the Year Gala

Video: Gustavo Balderas: 2020 & 2021 Superintendent of the Year Gala

 The event was co-sponsored by AASA, AIG Retirement Services and First Student, INC.

“Congratulations to all the school superintendents being recognized for their accomplishment and achievement,” said Rob Scheinerman, chief executive officer, AIG Retirement Services. “We thank these outstanding leaders for providing safe, supportive environments where it is possible to educate children equitably.”

“Our honorees demonstrate the highest professional standards when it comes to leading their school districts,” said Paul G. Osland, president, First Student. “During these extraordinary times, these educators have shown an unprecedented level of leadership. On behalf of the five million children we transport to and from school every day, we commend their unwavering commitment to create positive pathways that lead to a lasting future for students. We are proud to partner with AASA on this celebration of excellence in public education.”

“The superintendents joining us have made bold steps to capture a new vision of future-focused learning to reach every student who enters their school buildings,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “From someone who was a superintendent for 28 years, I applaud the efforts they’re making for the nation’s leaders of tomorrow. They’re here because the innovation underway in their school systems is being honored by their colleagues across the country.”

Now in its 34^th year, the National Superintendent of the Year® program celebrates the contributions and leadership of public school superintendents. The criterion for the annual award includes leadership in learning, communication, professionalism and community involvement. The four finalists for the 2022 National Superintendent of the Year® will be announced later this month.

For more information about the program, contact Jennifer Rooney, AASA director, meetings and awards, at jrooney@aasa.org.
 
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About AIG Retirement Services
For more than half a century, AIG Retirement Services has served as a leading defined contribution retirement plan provider for tax-exempt and public sector employers, including K-12, higher education, healthcare, government, religious, charitable and other nonprofit organizations. AIG Retirement Services has more than $130 billion in total assets under administration, managing thousands of plans serving approximately 2 million participants. It includes the VALIC family of companies: The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries, VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. and VALIC Retirement Services Company. Additional information can be found at http://www.aig.com/RetirementServices.

About First Student
As the leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. First Student completes five million student journeys each day, moving more passengers than all U.S. airlines combined. With a team of highly-trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, route optimization and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of about 40,000 buses. For more information, please visit firststudentinc.com.  

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.