Benjamin B. Tregoe Strategic Leadership in Education Awards

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Benjamin B. Tregoe Strategic Leadership in Education Awards highlight individuals or organizations for achieving exemplary results using TregoED strategies. These awards, conferred by TregoED, recognize educational leaders in school districts and agencies for using problem-solving and decision-making processes to more effectively address the issues, decisions, and problems they face.

Winning entries for the Strategic Leadership Awards are selected by TregoED based on several criteria including but not limited to:

  • Demonstrated problem-solving and decision-making skills that have increased collaboration, cost savings and/or the resolution of critical issues
  • Sustained improvements within the school district or agency which have increased leadership capacity and/or improved procedures and implementation of strategic decisions

We look forward to recognizing the work and success of districts who have used systematic problem solving to approach the myriad of challenges that the last two years have rendered.

The 2023 Award Application deadline has passed.

Winners will be notified October 2, 2023

If you would like more information, contact swozniak@TregoED.org.

Tuscaloosa City Schools (2023)

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Tuscaloosa City School’s College and Career Readiness Team, led by Director Kelly Norstrom, worked to strategically develop a comprehensive plan to prepare students for success beyond high school in an ever-evolving world.  Their work with internal and external stakeholders helped maximize resources and student opportunities. Read more

Summit Academy Schools (2019)

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Summit Academy Management (SAM) faced a major budgetary shortfall that had been building for some time, due to lower enrollment, top‐heavy organization structure and previous short‐term focused decision making. This imbalance resulted in insufficient resources for classrooms. It became clear that the organizational structure needed to change in order to allow Summit to put essential resources in direct support of its mission.  Read more

Winchester Public Schools (2019)

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WPS leaders were seeking to enhance decision‐making within the district and improve the pace, surrounding communications, and final outcomes of the decisions themselves. Prior to using Decision Analysis, some decisions had to be revisited or changed, leading to confusion and inconsistent implementation. District leaders determined they needed more consistent protocols and approaches. Thus, more than 40 senior leaders including Superintendent, Cabinet, school‐based administrators, and instructional coaches were trained in TregoED processes.  Read more

 

Colquitt County Schools (2019)

Colquitt County is in the enviable position of offering a robust universal pre‐K program for every eligible four‐year‐old in the district. The district prides itself on ensuring pre‐K students receive the same high‐quality resources available in K‐12 classrooms. Read more

York County School Division (2018)

York County School Division (VA), under the leadership of Dr. Victor Shandor, Superintendent, was recognized for their systemic use of process to increase confidence and clarity in decision making with diverse stakeholders. Read more

New Brighton Area School District (2018)

New Brighton Area School District (PA),  under the guidance of Dr. Joseph A. Guarino, Superintendent was recognized for using process to determine cause and develop solutions for a disparity in math scores on one grade level.  Read more

Johnston County Public Schools (2018)

Under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Ross Renfrow, Johnston County Public Schools (NC) are being recognized for their use of process to ensure the successful implementation of their new strategic plan, JOCO 2020.  Read more

Charleston County School District (2018)

Charleston County School District (SC), is being recognized for meeting challenges with transitions in the Exceptional Children Department and increasing leadership capacity.

Ann Arbor Public Schools (2017)

TregoED is proud to recognize the Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) with the Benjamin B. Tregoe Award for Strategic Excellence in Education! Led by Michigan’s State Superintendent of the Year, Jeanice K. Swift, the district used TregoED tools to help develop a fair and inclusive process to disseminate bond monies by fully evaluating and understanding current conditions, prioritizing immediate needs, detailing what could be included in the budget and developing a long-term vision for each of the four selected areas.  Read more

Burlington County Institute of Technology & Burlington County Special Services (2016)

 

The Burlington County Institute of Technology and Burlington County Special Services School District (BCIT/BCSSSD) will be recognized for their systemic use of TregoED processes to face several district‐wide challenges including transparent communication of expectations, vertical alignment of organizational goals, analysis of data to inform instruction, identifying the root cause of achievement issues, and discovering ways to capitalize on new initiatives.

Cabarrus County Schools (2016)

Cabarrus County Schools is being recognized for creating a system‐wide culture of collaborative decision making and problem solving to develop a comprehensive and systematic budget process. Their commitment to the collaborative approach has enabled them to move the district forward in math achievement and to develop and implement a comprehensive choice plan for their schools. Read more

Sewanhaka Central High School District (2016)

Sewanhaka is being recognized for using TregoED processes to help them make tough, collaborative decisions including selecting a student technology plan, determining device and platform, and developing a viable roll out and implementation plan to increase student access to technology in a manner that is both equitable and sustainable across the district.  Read more

Newton-Conover Schools (2015)

This district needed to replace an extremely popular and successful high school principal. A team used Decision Analysis to create the criteria and crafted interview questions. They then split up into interview teams, each with a different focus. When teams compared results, it became clear which candidates were consistently strong and which performed well only with some groups. “TregoED ensured no strong personalities swayed the group and that all voices were heard…. No longer does bias play a role in hiring and other decision-making processes. If board members or other stakeholders have questions, we can provide qualitative and quantitative data to share how crucial decisions were made.”  Read more

Colorado Springs School District 11 (2015)

District 11 used Problem Analysis in order to ensure a stronger correlation between school improvement efforts and student achievement. Problem Analysis was used at the district level and with school improvement teams. Teams identified four major areas of root causes affecting student achievement. District departments realigned themselves to support schools in addressing these 4 root causes and schools have focused their efforts on research-based, high-impact solutions. “The increased ownership by individuals has caused an infusion of excitement because the path is clear, the work is more defined and the work is being supported. The identified root causes have illuminated “fixable” problems of practice.” Instead of dozens of possible causes and solutions, the district and its schools are focusing efforts and resources on those that have been verified to be most relevant and influential. Read more

Sewanhaka Central High School District (2015 Winner)

A district team used Decision Analysis in order to find three million dollars in savings from its operating budget. Every proposed cut was accompanied by a Potential Problem Analysis to assess and mitigate accompanying risks. The clear criteria, stakeholder input, and decision-making transparency resulted in not only the desired savings, but in “very little push back or outcry from the community as they understood the decision-making process.” The district eventually had a successful voter-approved bond referendum – something that had never before been accomplished there.  Read more