HAMPTON, Va. — The superintendent of Hampton City Schools was named a finalist for the 2020 National Superintendent of the Year! AASA, The School Superintendents Association announced on Tuesday.
Jeffery Smith was named one of four finalists. The award honors school system leaders throughout the country who are making a positive difference in the lives of the students they serve.
Smith started as Hampton City School's superintendent on July 15, 2015. The AASA said that under his leadership, the school district has seen its highest level of academic success in decades.
For the first time in Hampton City Schools history, 100 percent of the division’s 29 schools are accredited without conditions.
Also under Smith, the on-time graduation rate has increased from 88% for the class of 2015 to 92.73% for the class of 2019. The dropout rate has decreased from 5.1% for the class of 2015 to 1.26% for the class of 2019.
“This announcement represents an opportunity for AASA to recognize the tremendous work and outstanding leadership carried out by four ambassadors of public education who I would refer to as ‘champions for children,’” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “The National Superintendent of the Year® program celebrates both these education thought leaders and the critical role public education plays in our society. We are grateful to AIG Retirement Services and First Student for supporting our program.”
The four finalists for the 2020 National Superintendent of the Year are:
- Gustavo Balderas, Eugene School District 4J, Eugene, Ore.
- Samantha Fuhrey, Newton County School System, Covington, Ga.
- Michael Nagler, Mineola Public Schools, Mineola, N.Y.
- Jeffery Smith, Hampton City Schools, Hampton, Va.
The 2020 National Superintendent of the Year will be announced during AASA’s National Conference on Education, Feb. 13-15, 2020, in San Diego, Calif.