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March 12, 2009
Jamaican born educator shines in the US
Dr Beverly Hall, who is Public Schools Superintendent for Atlanta, has been named National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA).
The Jamaican born Dr. Hall, who is a former student of the St. Andrew High School for Girls, said she was honoured and humbled by the honour, as this was a great achievement for her as a member of a minority group. "Education is my passion and when you have a goal and work hard and others buy into your goal, the rewards can be fulfilling," she stated.
The recognition, which came with a US$10,000 cash prize, is the highest professional honour for an urban educator and K-12 school administrator in the United States.
The announcement, which was made at the AASA's National Conference on Education in San Francisco last weekend, capped a year of high-level honours for Dr. Hall, who was named Georgia Superintendent of the Year in December by the Georgia School Superintendents Association, and one of the 100 most influential Georgians by Georgia Trend magazine.
In an interview with JIS News, Dr. Hall pointed out that the training she received at St. Andrew High and the high standards set by the institution, had prepared her for her current success. She said that in recognition of the contribution of the school to her development, the US$10,000 prize money would be donated to a graduating student from St. Andrew High to further her education.
The selection of Dr. Hall as United States National Superintendent of the Year was based on four primary criteria: creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in the school system; strength in personal and organizational communication; constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team; as well as active participation in local community activities, and an understanding of regional, national, and international issues.
Dr. Hall was one of four finalists selected by AASA judges from the 49 state-level and overseas superintendents of the year.