ANNOUNCEMENT
February 10, 2004

ABOUT THE AWARD | ABOUT DR. MAYO

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The National Superintendent of the Year Program

The National Superintendent of the Year Program, co-sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and the ServiceMaster Company, was founded to recognize and laud superintendents who skillfully and courageously lead and inspire their districts to excellence. It recognizes and rewards outstanding leadership in the superintendency - leadership that results in improved student learning and enhanced professional development. The state program is directed by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), which selected the state winner.

The qualifications necessary to become Superintendent of the Year include leadership for learning (meeting the needs of students), communication skills, professionalism (consistently upgrading one's administrative skills), and community involvement.

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Dr. Reginald Mayo

Dr. Mayo is a seasoned leader whose 36 years as an educator have culminated in remarkable growth for the New Haven Public Schools. Dr. Mayo was appointed Superintendent of Schools in New Haven in 1992 and has devoted most of his professional career to the district. He started out in 1967 as a science teacher at Troup Middle School, and subsequently chaired the mathematics and science department at Troup.

In 1973, Dr. Mayo was appointed Assistant Principal of Troup and then was promoted to Principal of Jackie Robinson Middle School. In 1981, he was promoted to K-8 Director of Schools, and in 1984, Executive Director of School Operations, a post he retained until his Superintendency appointment in 1992.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Virginia Union University, a master's degree from Southern Connecticut State University, and doctoral degrees from Nova University and the University of Connecticut. He has also done post-doctoral study at Yale University.

Through Dr. Mayo's leadership, New Haven became the first district in the State of Connecticut to craft a policy effectively ending the practice of social promotion. New Haven's retention policy, its mandatory summer school, and its Saturday Academies have garnered national press attention and praise from key leaders. The summer school program has emerged as one of the most successful in the State of Connecticut.

New Haven has also quietly and effectively built the largest interdistrict magnet program in the State of Connecticut, with 1,300 suburban students enrolled and a model program or urban-suburban exchange.

In addition, the New Haven Public Schools oversees an early childhood initiative that has expanded the quality and quantity of child care available in the City of New Haven. The City's school readiness program is one of the most ambitious, with nearly 2,000 new child care slots created just in the past few years for children ages 3 and 4. The district also has the highest percentage of children attending preschool programs of the urban districts in the State of Connecticut.

Among Dr. Mayo's lengthy list of awards and citations are the 2003 Thiman L. Milner Outstanding Civic Leadership Award from the Greater New Haven NAACP; the 2003 Southern Connecticut State University, Department of Educational Leadership, Educational Leader of the Year award; and an award from Dr. James Comer, founder of the Yale University School Development Program, for his "tireless work on behalf of America's children, especially the most disadvantaged."

His professional memberships include the Connecticut Association of Urban Superintendents (CAUS), the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), and the Horace Mann League of the U.S.A. He presently serves as a Fellow for Yale University's Calhoun College and as a Research Affiliate at Yale's Bush Center.

CAPSS Executive Director Dr. David H. Larson described Mayo as "a man of high integrity and values, a true leader, and an educator with vision and dedication," adding that "he continues to be a strong advocate for all that is good in education, with the remarkable facility of adapting new thoughts and trends for the benefit of the students in his school district. Connecticut is truly honored by the selection of Dr. Mayo as one of four finalists on the national level. He personifies all the traits and accomplishments that should identify the superior practitioner of our art."

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