Each year, AASA, The School Superintendents Association recognizes 50 school system leaders from each state who are making a positive difference in the lives of the students they serve. Four finalists are identified from the 50 state-level winners, and one national winner is selected.
This year, finalist Curtis Cain of Wentzville, Missouri has been recognized for his accomplishments and dedication to his community.
Dr. Cain has served as Superintendent of the Wentzville School District since 2013, where he is responsible for the educational performance and well-being of over 17,300 students in the fastest-growing district in the state of Missouri. Currently, Wentzville’s performance on the state’s Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) is in the top 13% of the over 520 school districts in Missouri.
Dr. Cain completed his B.S. degree at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and his M.S. and Ph.D. at Iowa State University. He is an associate lead auditor with Curriculum Management System Incorporated (CMSi) and has served on audits across 11 states and in the nation of Bermuda.
Dr. Cain is a member of the Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Emerging Leader programs. Locally, he volunteers on the St. Charles Economic Development Council Board of Directors, serves on the St. Charles County Partners for Progress Education Committee, Compass Health Network Governing Board of Directors, the Partners for Progress Healthy St. Charles Leadership Council, and the Barnes-Jewish St Peters and Progress West Foundation Board.
Dr. Cain joins the ranks of many wonderful previous Missouri Superintendents of the year, you can learn more about them here.
About Superintendent of the Year:
The superintendent of the Year program, sponsored by First Student and AASA, The School superintendents Association, pays tribute to the talent and vision of the men and women who lead our nation’s public schools.
Each state association recognizes the accomplishments of one exemplary superintendent, evaluating them on their:
- Leadership for Learning – creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in his or her school system.
- Communication – strength in both personal and organizational communication.
- Professionalism – constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team.
- Community Involvement – active participation in local community activities and an understanding of regional, national, and international issues.
The national winner of the award will be chosen from four finalists who are selected from state level winners and announced at AASA’s National Conference on Education, Feb. 17, in Nashville, TN.