Tacoma’s Santorno Wins National Women in School Leadership Award

Superintendent Carla Santorno named national winner at American Association of School Administrators’ conference in Phoenix

OLYMPIA — Tacoma Public Schools Superintendent Carla Santorno, who leveraged community connections to help better ensure students success, was awarded the national 2016 Women in School Leadership Award by the American Association of School Administrators. The award was announced this morning during the association’s National Conference on Education in Phoenix.  

The American Association of School Administrators is the nation’s top professional association for school system leaders.

“This award is as much a celebration of Carla as it is honoring her leadership role in Tacoma Public Schools,” said Dr. Bill Keim, executive director of the Washington Association of School Administrators. “Her leadership in connecting schools and students with resources in the community is an exemplary model for others to emulate. We join AASA in congratulating Carla, Tacoma Public Schools and the community on this well-deserved award.”

Co-sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the award is designed to recognize exceptional leadership of active, front-line female administrators who are making a difference in the lives of students every day and pay tribute to the talent, creativity and vision of outstanding women educational administrators in the nation’s public schools. Santorno received a $1,000 check and a one-year membership to AASA along with the award.

Under Santorno’s leadership, Tacoma Public Schools has initiated unique partnerships that have positive results for the Tacoma school community. The district’s partnership with the Tacoma Housing Authority has provided housing vouchers for students at a low income, high mobility elementary school. The vouchers are tied to parent engagement and housing stability.

Partnerships with three local four-year colleges and universities, both public and private, have yielded gap financial funding for qualified low-income students, priority admission to education programs with guaranteed teacher interviews at graduation from college and a whole child district initiative designed to provide a sustainable system for ensuring high quality social emotional learning for PK-12 students.

The AASA award for Women in School Leadership is given in two separate categories: the superintendent/assistant superintendent category and the central office administrator/principal category. Santorno was honored in the superintendent/assistant superintendent category. The criteria include demonstration of strength in both personal and organizational communication, professionalism and community involvement.

“The outstanding women educators we are honoring today are strengthening public education,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “This ceremony should send a signal to America that more needs to be done to bring more women into leadership positions.”

To learn more about the AASA awards, visit www.aasa.org.

About the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA):

WASA (www.wasa-oly.org) is a non-profit organization committed to the development of quality education through professional leadership. Members benefit from a supportive community of professional leaders working to provide insightful, valuable training, support, and resources. WASA also strives to sustain a positive impact on legislative and community leaders. Membership is open to education administrators in Washington state.