Alexandria, Va. –  AASA, The School Superintendents Association, announced today the finalists for the 2019 National Superintendent of the Year®. This marks the 32nd anniversary of the program, which honors school system leaders throughout the country and internationally as well.

Co-sponsored by VALIC, First Student and AASA, the 2019 National Superintendent of the Year® will be announced at AASA’s National Conference on Education, Feb. 14-16, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.

The four finalists for the 2019 AASA National Superintendent of the Year® are:

• Jeff Butts, Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, Indianapolis, Ind.
• Curtis Jones Jr., Bibb County School District, Macon, Ga.
• Mary Ann Ranells, West Ada Joint School District #2, Meridian, Idaho
• Brian Woods, Northside Independent School District, San Antonio, Texas

“The finalists for National Superintendent of the Year® are truly accomplished leaders in every sense who are delivering academic solutions that are ensuring cutting-edge student learning experiences in their school districts and beyond,” said Rob Scheinerman, president of group retirement at AIG. “For more than 60 years, VALIC has been committed to our nation’s educators and the important work they do to help students learn, achieve and grow. We are proud to support AASA and the Superintendent of the Year program.”

“These four superintendents represent the gold standard in leadership, excellence in public education and raising the academic standards in this country,” said Dennis R. Maple, president, First Student. “On behalf of the five million passengers we transport to and from school every day, we congratulate the finalists for the 2019 National Superintendent of the Year®. We are honored to partner with AASA in a program that has a profound impact on the lives of students, teachers and school district administrators throughout North America.”

“AASA continues to highlight why ‘Leaders Matter,’ a campaign we launched earlier this year spotlighting the outstanding achievements by superintendents and their respective school districts. The talented individuals we are honoring today exemplify what their leadership means to the communities and students they serve,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “The National Superintendent of the Year® program not only celebrates these education thought leaders, but the critical role public education plays in our society. We are grateful to VALIC and First Student for supporting our program.”

The finalists for AASA’s 2019 National Superintendent of the Year® will have an opportunity to meet the national education community during a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 10, at the National Press Club (Zenger Room) in Washington, D.C. The briefing will begin at 3:00 p.m.

The National Superintendent of the Year® program is open to all U.S. superintendents who plan to continue in the profession. The program also honors international school superintendents. The applicants were measured against the following criteria:

• Leadership for learning – creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in the school system.
• Communication – strength in both personal and organizational communication.
• Professionalism – constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team.
• Community involvement – active participation in local community activities and an understanding of regional, national and international issues.

A $10,000 college scholarship will be presented in the name of the AASA 2019 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.