Winner to Be Named Today: Harris County’s Susan Andrews One of Finalists
By Harry Franklin, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.
Mar. 2–Harris County Schools Superintendent Susan Andrews may be taking her trip of a lifetime.
Andrews will learn today whether she has been chosen as the 2007 National Superintendent of the Year, at the National Conference on Education in New Orleans. Last fall she was named Georgia Superintendent of the Year and was notified in mid-December that she was one of four finalists for the national award, the third-straight Georgia winner to be a national finalist. The finalists were interviewed in Washington, D.C., in January.
Andrews, 51, of Ellerslie, is in her 30th year with the school district she has headed since 2000. She is a home-grown educator who graduated from Harris County High School and has spent her entire career serving the county schools. She has taught in grades 1, 3, 6, 7 and 8 and has served as co-principal of Harris County Carver Middle School; principal at Cataula and Pine Ridge Elementary schools; assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction; and superintendent. She also is an adjunct professor at Columbus State University and at Troy University, Phenix City.
After learning that she was a finalist for the national honor, Andrews said, “I’m excited and humbled. It’s a humbling thought because you know you stand on the shoulders of so many people. No one person can do this. It’s the people who pay taxes, the students, parents, teachers and administrators. It’s everybody working together.”
Several Harris County School District officials shared their thoughts Wednesday on why they believe she should win the honor of representing the nation’s estimated 14,000 school superintendents.
Michael Ward, assistant superintendent for operations — “She is able to effect change without upsetting the apple cart. She makes it easier for us to do our job. If it’s good today, she wants it better tomorrow. She instills that in us. She has tremendous character. She sees her success as helping others achieve their success.”
Roger Couch,cq principal of Harris County High School — “Dr. Andrews is a very driven person. She accepts nothing less than the best. She is a tremendous leader. We know her expectations are extremely high and we are going to achieve them. She listens to people, but she also makes decisions. She commands the ship. She knows where we’re going. We have a shared vision. We know we’re fortunate to be here. I’ve been here six years and she’s been my superintendent the whole time. Sometimes there is a challenge. We’re challenged to do our best. We don’t get complacent.” Arnold Jackson , principal of Harris County Carver Middle School — “She’s a very conscientious person in terms of trying to provide a quality education for students in this school district. She is a home-grown product. She knows that Harris County students can compete if they are challenged, at the state and national levels. She’s been the same Susan Andrews from the time I met her in 1986 through today, always focusing and helping to make things better.”
Glenda Johnson , administrative assistant to the superintendent — “She has a vision for providing a higher quality of education for all children. She’s an educator’s educator. She is wonderful to work with, always the same, a great sense of humor, is fair, honest and has a bulldog determination. When she gets a vision in her head, she goes after it.”
Jeff Branham, principal of Mulberry Creek Elementary School — “She’s obviously got outstanding qualities of leadership. She has brought our school district to new heights on the cutting edge of our education strategies. We have Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation systemwide, which is fairly new. She’s implemented new instructional strategies that are going to prove to be very successful in the future. She’s been an inspiration to us all. She’s a whirlwind. She’s constantly moving, changing and innovating.
Dan Trotter , principal, Pine Ridge Elementary School — “Obviously we have a good school system. We couldn’t have a good system without good leaders. She stays focused and helps us stay focused on what we are doing. We have outstanding teachers and students, and parents that are highly involved. Dr. Andrews is a native of Harris County. That makes her even more zealous about us being the best system we can be. She works tirelessly at it. The school system is a passion for her. Certainly we won’t be surprised if she wins. A strength for Susan is working with the board of education. She has a good rapport with the board. She has been such a good superintendent to work for. She lets us do our job.”
Contact Harry Franklin at 706-571-8521 or hfranklin@ledger-enquirer.com [mailto:hfranklin@ledger-enquirer.com]
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Copyright (c) 2007, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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