AASA, The School Superintendents Association, will graduate a class of 13 educators who have completed its Aspiring Superintendents Academy®. The educators will be honored Thursday evening, Feb. 14, at the organization’s National Conference on Education in Los Angeles, Calif.
This group of aspiring superintendents completed 10 months of intensive coursework on leadership topics such as Leading with a Vision for Excellence, Effective Community and Stakeholder Communications and Engagement, and Working Effectively with the School Board. Participants also completed a Capstone project on school leadership.
The 2019 graduates represent the second class of school leaders to complete the academy for those who see the superintendency in their career path.
The AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy cohort graduates are:
• Mack Bullard, director of strategic talent management, Griffin-Spalding County School System, Griffin, Ga.
• John DiPaula, principal, Hammond High School, Howard County Public Schools, Ellicott City, Md.
• Andrea Hensley, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, Cleburne Independent School District, Mansfield, Texas
• Benjamin Hodge, assistant superintendent, Avon Local School District, Avon, Ohio
• Dawn Linden, executive director of elementary education, Ann Arbor Public Schools, Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Emily Lipe, superintendent, Davidson County Schools, Lexington, N.C.
• Kelly Murray, K-12 supervisor of curriculum and instruction, Radnor Township School District, Wayne, Pa.
• Pierrette Peters, principal, Alexandria City Public Schools, Alexandria, Va.
• Tina Plummer, assistant superintendent, Mehlville School District, St. Louis, Mo.
• Daniel Powell, assistant superintendent, North Pocono School District, Moscow, Pa.
• Marc Schaffer, assistant superintendent, Boulder Valley School District, Boulder, Colo.
• Billy Snow, superintendent, Cedar Hill Independent School District, Cedar Hill, Texas
• Donna Thomas, assistant superintendent for human resources, Hoke County Schools, West End, N.C.
AASA program organizers said the program focuses on developing a professional practice grounded in evidence-based knowledge, skills and dispositions, resulting in certification and transition for participants into their first position as a superintendent.