IRSD's Bunting among finalists for national award
Indian River School District Superintendent Susan Smith Bunting is among the four national finalists in the American Association of School Administrators’ 2012 National Superintendent of the Year program.
The program, co-sponsored by ARAMARK Education, ING and AASA is celebrating its 25th year honoring the contributions and leadership of public school superintendents. AASA will announce the 2012 National Superintendent of the Year on Feb. 16, 2012, at the National Conference on Education in Houston, Texas.
Bunting is currently serving in her sixth year as superintendent of the Indian River School District. AASA representatives said of her, “Bunting has articulated a clear vision that has molded the district into an exemplary system with programs that school and district leaders from Delaware and surrounding regions have sought to replicate.
“Under her leadership, Indian River was selected as one of the original participants in Delaware’s Vision 2015 initiative and has become a trailblazer in Delaware’s Race to the Top. In 2011, IRSD’s students scored first, second and third in reading, math, science and social studies in the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System, and all 14 IRSD schools are ranked ‘Superior’ in Delaware’s accountability system.”
Bunting earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and elementary education from the American University, a master’s degree in education from Salisbury University and a doctorate in education leadership from the University of Delaware.
Additionally, she has attended Harvard’s Principals’ Academy and completed the Executive Leadership Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. She received the University of Delaware’s Outstanding Alumni Award in 1999 and 2008, AASA’s Civic Star Award and NSBA’s Magna Award in 2003, and Delaware Superstar in Education recognition in 2000, 2006, 2009 and 2010.
The other three finalists for 2012 AASA National Superintendent of the Year are: Diane L. Frost of Asheboro City Schools, Asheboro, N.C.; Heath Morrison of Washoe County School District¸ Reno, Nev.; and Lorraine Lange of Roanoke County Public Schools, Roanoke, Va.
“AASA is pleased to recognize these four outstanding superintendents,” said AASA Executive Director Daniel A. Domenech. “Their dedication to transforming schools, providing quality education for all students and working with the school community to advance student success represents the best in school system leadership today.”
“We congratulate the four Finalists, all of the state winners and AASA for their ongoing leadership, innovation and commitment to excellence in education,” said Dennis Maple, president, ARAMARK Education. “As a founding sponsor of the National Superintendent of the Year program, all of us at ARAMARK are happy and proud to be celebrating its Silver Anniversary, and we thank all of the talented superintendents who have been dedicated to advancing student achievement and creating positive student learning environments over the past 25 years.”
“ING is proud to sponsor the 25th anniversary of the National Superintendent of the Year program and extends our congratulations to the national finalists and all the state winners,” said Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation. “We are committed to education, and honoring the superior leadership of our public school superintendents for their efforts in advancing student achievement and positively influencing our youth is one way we can support excellence in education.”
The four national finalists were chosen from 49 State Superintendent of the Year finalists. The finalists will be at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 10, 2012, where they will be interviewed by a national blue-ribbon selection panel of educators, businesspeople and government officials.
A $10,000 college scholarship will be presented in the name of the National Superintendent of the Year to a student in the high school from which the superintendent graduated, or the school now serving the same area.
The National Superintendent of the Year will receive a jacket emblazoned with the National Superintendent of the Year emblem and, with the three other national finalists, will be recognized at the AASA National Conference on Education on Feb. 16, 2012, during the ceremony announcing the National Superintendent of the Year.
