Colorado Superintendent Named NASS Superintendent of the Year

Online, July 5, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Linda Chapman, Superintendent of the Park School District R-3 School District in Estes Park, Colorado, has been named the 2011 National Superintendent of the Year award by the National Association of School Superintendents (NASS).
The decision was announced Tuesday, July 5, at the NASS offices in Newport Beach, California. The selection of a National Superintendent of the Year is based on three primary criteria:

* Outstanding achievement as a school district superintendent,
* Demonstrated belief in continuous improvement, and
* Commitment to collaboration and mutual support in the profession.

Some of Chapman's many achievements include the development of a Personal Learning Plan and Portfolio for every student in the district, a successful home-school/public collaborative program, an employee incentive program designed to retain positions in the current fiscal climate and a self-funded community education program.
NASS Executive Director Dr. Theresa Daem said Linda Chapman represents our country's best hope for authentic improvement of our country's education system. According to Daem, politicians and researchers have missed the most obvious source of successful reform. She points out that when GOOD TO GREAT author Jim Collins examined what went into making great organizations, he found that great companies' success came not from a 'defining moment' or a 'revolutionary event', but as a culmination of doing many things right. "The real answer is leveraging the collective know-how of superintendents like Linda Chapman."
Daem says, "Across our country many superintendents are using approaches and programs that must be recognized and replicated. Our selection panel was amazed at the quality of our candidates." Three semi-finalists include Mike Richie of Eagle River, Wisconsin; Walter Lee of Mansfield, Louisiana; and Scott Mercer of Boiling Springs, South Carolina. "It is obvious that these top educational leaders have knowledge, training and experience that make them incredible sources of improvement initiatives," she said. "We are anticipating that they'll be making many valuable contributions to the profession," she added.
The National Association of School Superintendents serves the unique needs of the more than 17,000 school district leaders across the United States by providing them with ongoing opportunities for collaborating and sharing as well as building a collection of resources and benefits. Its website address is NASS.us .