Dr. Summer Stephens, Superintendent of Churchill County School District in Fallon, Nevada, has been named the 2023 Nevada Superintendent of the Year. The announcement came at a Nevada Association of School Superintendents (NASS) business meeting.
Regarded as the most comprehensive professional learning and networking event for school superintendents and administrators, this event is addressing the most critical issues affecting public education today, including leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, equity in education, social and emotional learning, personalizing education, technology, and school safety.
"I am extremely humbled to be named the 2023 Superintendent of the Year for the State of Nevada,” said Stephens. “It is an honor to represent a state undergoing a transformation in education, looking to personalize education for all of its children. In the face of the challenges of the pandemic protocols, financial constraints, and staffing shortages, school districts across Nevada have worked together to ensure safety and consistency for our learners and our staff. I look forward to the opportunities ahead in Nevada to shape the future of learning through advocacy and collaboration with our students, families, staff, Department of Education and State Board of Education, our parent organizations, our legislators, business and industry partners, and our community.”
Dr. Summer Stephens was selected as superintendent by the Churchill County School Board in July 2018. She previously served as the Superintendent of the Weston County School District #7 in Upton, Wyoming. She is known regionally as the NASS President during the 2021-22 school year and currently serves as the superintendent representative on the Nevada State Board of Education.
Now in its 35th year, the National Superintendent of the Year® program, co-sponsored by AASA, AIG Retirement Services, and First Student, celebrates the contributions and leadership of Nevada public school superintendents. “I have found Dr. Stephens to be bold, innovative, and a future-driven educator who is working diligently to ensure student success in and beyond the community which she serves. She understands that educating Churchill County School District children is a top priority for Nevada and that schools must be a source of both inspiration and stability,” said Susan Keema, NASS Executive Director. “Dr. Stephens leads the way in her commitment to equity, innovation, and improvement.”
“Superintendent Stephens led Nevada’s superintendents through the transition from the pandemic back to full-time, face-to-face instruction,” said Dr. Jesus F. Jara, NASS President. “Dr. Stephens worked tirelessly to ensure NASS perspectives were shared with state legislators and communicated to stakeholders across the state. We appreciate her effective leadership and guidance that ensured school districts received the funding they needed to close student learning gaps. Her leadership was invaluable, and we appreciate her dedication to the cause of public education.”
Dr. Summer Stephens will have the opportunity to participate in The AASA National Superintendent of the Year® program, which is open to all U.S. superintendents who plan to continue in the profession. The program also honors Canadian and other international school superintendents. The applicants will be 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; and
● 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 2023 AASA 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 AASA National 2023 Superintendent of the Year will be named during their February 16-18, 2023, National Conference on Education.
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