News

Correll saluted as Kansas Superintendent of the Year

BY ANDY TAYLOR

chronicle@taylornews.org

COFFEYVILLE — USD 445 added a feather in its cap on Tuesday when Superintendent Dr. Craig Correll was named the Kansas Superintendent of the Year by the Kansas School Superintendents’ Association for 2022.

The announcement was made by representatives of the KSSA as they broke into a meeting involving Correll and school administrators at the USD 445 Service Center. Other administrators and USD 445 Board of Education members joined in the celebration for Correll, who was one of three finalists for the state award.

“This award isn’t about me, it’s about the great team that we have in Coffeyville schools,” said Correll to administrators and board members. “The work is done by you.”

Correll has served as USD 445 chief for seven years. Prior to serving as the district superintendent, he was the assistant superintendent in Coffeyville for seven years. 

USD 445 Coffeyville Public Schools is a unique district for Kansas because a majority of children and families are classified as at-risk due to one or more factors. Over the last 30 years Coffeyville has watched its population decline by over 25 percent due to natural disasters, business relocation, and a lack of jobs.

USD 445 addressed the challenges of early childhood education. In 2008, the school district had just two preschool classrooms. Dr. Correll forged a relationship with the regional director of SEK-CAP, who leads the Head Start programs. As they began to blend systems, the success stories made their rounds across the state, leading to additional opportunities to apply for grants and forge partnerships with other organizations. Coffeyville became the model for early childhood education.

Through the unique collaboration between USD 445 and other entities, the school district raised $1.1 million, and an individual donor matched that amount to elevate the program forward. As a result, USD 445 has an early education center that incorporates universal preschool for any child in USD 445, plus provides a wealth of other resources, such as Head Start and Parents As Teachers, under one roof.

That quest for developing a unique early education model was brought to light on Monday at the White House. Tabatha Rosproy of Olathe, Kan., visited President Joe Biden in a Rose Garden ceremony where the teacher spoke about the importance of early childhood education and fostering partnerships between public education and the private sector. 

Rosproy formerly taught in the Winfield school district, where she developed the idea for creating more early childhood programs and unique educational opportunities after studying Coffeyville’s model.

Rosproy did not mention Coffeyville in her speech at the White House but alluded to the importance of early childhood education.

“Rosproy developed the seed for Winfield and later Olathe by coming to Coffeyville and seeing our early education model,” said Correll. “What we have done in Coffeyville is truly making a difference across the nation.”

A Parsons native, Correll received his bachelor of science degree from Pittsburg State University, majoring in elementary education. He graduated with a master’s of   in educational leadership from Pittsburg State University in 2003, and  doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies in 2010 from the University of Kansas.

Correll, along with fellow Superintendent of the Year finalists, Dr. Wayne Burke, Spring Hill, and David Grover, Cheney, were interviewed by former Kansas Superintendents of the year last week. Candidates for Superintendent of the Year is assessed according to their professionalism, communication, community involvement, and leadership while meeting the local communities’ needs and, most importantly, their students. 

As Kansas Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Correll will now be considered for the AASA National Superintendent of the Year program. KSSA, in cooperation with the Ogden Financial Group will host a celebration honoring Dr. Correll in January. They will also be providing a $2,000 scholarship to a Kansas high school senior selected by the Kansas Superintendent of the Year.

Darrel Harbaugh, USD 445 Board of Education president, congratulated Correll on the state award. 

“Dr. Correll’s focus is always on the health and welfare of our students and staff,” Harbaugh said. “Our district is leading the way in Kansas school redesign efforts thanks to Craig’s leadership. Under his leadership, our schools continue to improve and meet the individual needs of all of our children. This recognition shines a light on all the good work Dr. Correll and USD 445 faculty and staff do each and every day.” 

USD 445 Superintendent Dr. Craig Correll was honored and surprised to receive the Kansas Association of School Superintendent’s Superintendent of the Year Award on Tuesday morning. School administrators and USD 445 Board of Education members broke into an administrative meeting led by Correll to announce the award.    ANDY TAYLOR / MONTGOMERY COUNTY CHRONICLE