Finalists Named for AASA’s 2021 National Superintendent of the Year®
Honorees include superintendents from Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington 

Alexandria, Va. – December 18, 2020 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2021 National Superintendent of the Year®. This distinction honors school system leaders throughout the country who are making a positive difference in the lives of the students they serve, in addition to ensuring the safety and wellness of their school communities.

Co-sponsored by AASA, AIG Retirement Services and First Student, the 2021 National Superintendent of the Year® will be announced during AASA’s virtual National Conference on Education, Feb. 18-19, 2021.

The four finalists for the 2021 National Superintendent of the Year® are:

• Bryan Johnson, Hamilton County Schools, Chattanooga, Tenn.
• Khalid Mumin, Reading School District, Reading, Pa.
• Christy Perry, Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Salem, Ore.
• Michelle Reid, Northshore School District, Botthel, Wash.

“Our nation’s school superintendents have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with an unprecedented level of leadership, dedication and creativity,” said Rob Scheinerman, chief executive officer, AIG Retirement Services. “We congratulate the finalists for National Superintendent of the Year®, all of whom have prioritized health and safety as they have also had to create new systems for learning and development. AIG Retirement Services stands behind our educators and is proud to support this program, particularly during such a trying and challenging year.”

“We’re in extraordinary times, and these four extraordinary superintendents represent the hallmark in leadership and excellence in raising academic standards in public education,” said Paul G. Osland, president, First Student. “On behalf of the 5 million passengers we transport to and from school every day, we congratulate the finalists for the 2021 National Superintendent of the Year®. We are honored to partner with AASA to celebrate the profound contributions these four leaders are making to help create positive pathways for students.”

“One of the most striking outcomes of the COVID environment is a universal commitment on the part of our school system leaders to use this crisis as a catalyst to transform public education. Our finalists for the 2021 National Superintendent of the Year® have been doing just that,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “The champions for children we are honoring exemplify the importance of promoting equity and excellence for the young learners in their communities. We are grateful to AIG Retirement Services and First Student for supporting our program.”

The National Superintendent of the Year® finalists will have an opportunity to meet the national education community during a virtual press conference on Friday, Jan. 8. The briefing will begin at 3:00 p.m. (ET).

The National Superintendent of the Year® program, now in its 34th year, 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 2021 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.

For more information about the program, contact Jennifer Rooney, AASA director, meetings and awards, at jrooney@aasa.org.

Click here to access a list of the AASA 2021 State Superintendents of the Year.

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About AIG Retirement Services

For more than half a century, AIG Retirement Services has served as a leading defined contribution retirement plan provider for tax-exempt and public sector employers, including healthcare, K-12, higher education, government, religious, charitable and other nonprofit organizations. AIG Retirement Services has more than $100 billion in total assets under administration, managing thousands of plans serving approximately 1.8 million participants. It includes the VALIC family of companies: The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries, VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. and VALIC Retirement Services Company. Additional information can be found at www.aig.com/RetirementServices.

About First Student

As the leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. First Student completes 5 million student journeys each day, moving more passengers than all U.S. airlines combined. With a team of highly trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, route optimization and scheduling, maintenance and charter services for 1,100 school district contracts. For more information, please visit http://www.firststudentinc.com.

About AASA

AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.