Dr. Pamela R. Moran, Superintendent of Albemarle County Schools, was recently named Virginia’s Superintendent of the Year at the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS) Annual Awards Banquet in Roanoke. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the leaders of seven Virginia education organizations selected her from among eight regional finalists. Facing the challenges of a demographically complex community having extremes of wealth and poverty, Dr. Moran has provided bold leadership to improve significantly the performance of the economically disadvantaged students in her district of 13,600 students. Through her comprehensive approach to removing institutional barriers blocking children from learning what they need to successfully pursue post-secondary education, Dr. Moran has helped her students make great strides toward Albemarle County Schools’ goal of preparing them for lifelong success as learners, workers and citizens. Since 2009, as the number of Albemarle’s economically disadvantaged students has increased, their on-time graduation rate has also increased by nearly five percentage points where it is now equal to the statewide average for all students.

Other indicators of success were achieved during the past six years through Dr. Moran’s development of several programs that focused specifically on the needs of her disadvantaged students. The percentage of drop-outs in this group declined by 40 percent; the number of such students enrolled in AP courses increased by nearly 100 percent; and the share of Albemarle’s economically disadvantaged students earning college credit increased by more than 100 percent. SAT scores within this population are currently higher by 32 points in reading, 26 points in writing, and seven points in math.

In presenting Dr. Moran with the Virginia Superintendent of the Year Award, VASS President Alan Seibert said, “Pam Moran has demonstrated inspirational leadership in reducing major gaps among her economically disadvantage students graduating ready for post-secondary learning.” He continued, “What is particularly remarkable about Pam’s accomplishment is that it was achieved in six years under extreme budget pressure with a significant increase in the number of disadvantaged students.”

Dr. Moran has provided 40 years of public education service in Virginia, beginning as a middle school science teacher in Orange County in 1975. She worked her way up through the ranks of education administration in both Orange and Albemarle Counties until her appointment as Superintendent of Albemarle County Schools in 2005. From 2009 until 2011 she served on various committees and as an Officer in the Virginia Association of School Superintendents before being elected as the President of VASS in 2012.

The Virginia Superintendent of the Year Selection Committee included the State Superintendent for Public Instruction and the Presidents of the: Virginia Education Association; Virginia Parent and Teacher Association; Virginia Association of School Superintendents; Virginia School Boards Association; Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals; and Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals. Dr. Moran was selected as the state winner from eight regional Superintendents of the Year who were chosen from the entire field of 133 superintendents in the state.

As Virginia's Superintendent of the Year Dr. Moran will be eligible for the National Superintendent of the Year Award, which will be presented in Phoenix, AZ next February by the American Association of School Administrators.