NDASA Superintendent of the Year
NDASA Superintendent of the Year Procedures
The NDASA Board adopted the following process:
Establish Regional SOY nominating committees made up of the two regional directors and two at-large members appointed by the NDASA president.
The Regional Nominating Committees will meet and nominate one candidate and notify the Executive Director of the nomination by May 15th of each year.
During July/August, the Executive Director will send applications to the four nominees who will complete the forms and send them to AASA.
A State SOY Selection Committee will be established consisting of the NDASA President as chair, a representative of the State School Board Association, and two previous State Superintendents of the Year.
The State SOY Selection Committee will make their selection by November 1st of each year and the State SOY must be selected from the pool of the four Regional Superintendents’ of the Year.
AASA National Superintendent of the Year Program
The National Superintendent of the Year Program pays tribute to the talent and vision of the men and women who lead our nation's public schools. This program is sponsored by ARAMARK Education, ING and AASA. Established in 1988, this award is bestowed on a superintendent who has demonstrated all-around outstanding leadership.
Eligibility
This program is open to all U.S. public school superintendents and superintendents of American schools abroad who plan to continue in the profession. Anyone may nominate a superintendent for this program. Most often, nominations come from a school board president, parent, community leader or another superintendent.
Nomination & Application
Find detailed program information including important dates, eligibility and qualifications, review and selection processes, the nomination and applications forms, and the rating form.
Awards
The National Superintendent of the Year presents a $10,000 scholarship to a student in the high school from which he/she graduated. All state and overseas nominees receive a medallion and are honored at AASA's National Conference on Education.
Past Recipients
2025 Rick Diegel
2024 Dr. Mike McNeff
2023 Dr. Rupak Gandhi
2022 Leslie Bieber
2021 Justin Fryer
2020 Dr. Mike Bitz
2019 Paula Suda
2018 Dr. Paul Stremick
2017 Rob Lech
2016 Jack Maus
2015 Larry Nybladh
2014 Steve Hall
2013 David Flowers
2012 Rick Buresh
2011 Jeff Fastnacht
2010 Mike Bradner
2009 Steve Swiontek
2008 Paul Johnson
2007 Clarke Ranum
2006Martin Schock
2005Dean A. Koppelman
2004Robert Tollefson
2003Dean U. Koppelman
2002Joe Lukach
2001 Wilred Volesky
2000 Kent Hjelmstad
1999 Marvin Leidal
1998 Julian Bjornson
1997 Mark Sanford
1996 David Rust
1995 Norm Zielinski
1994 Vern Bennett
1993 Rollie Morud
1992 Hy Schlieve
1991 Lincoln Napton
1989 Mel Olson
1988 David Smette