Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Walter B. Gonsoulin Jr. has been named the National Superintendent of the Year by AASA The School Superintendents Association. The announcement was made Thursday afternoon during the National Conference on Education in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the first superintendent from Alabama to win the award.
“To me, this is one of the greatest honors of my life. As a child growing up in New Iberia, Louisiana, I never could have imagined achieving this honor. However, I want to be clear, while my name is on the award, I am only one part of it. I would not be in this position if it were not for the hard work of the teachers, administrators, support personnel, board members, students, and parents. They are the heartbeat of Jefferson County Schools,” said Gonsoulin.
A $10,000 check was presented to Gonsoulin, which will go to a student in the high school from which the superintendent graduated or the school now serving the same area.
“This is a great day for Alabama. It’s a way for us to shine the light on our very best, who does so much for children on a daily basis. Of course it’s big for Jefferson County. It’s big for Dr. Gonsoulin. But this is big for Alabama because it tells the whole country that we’ve got great people doing the right thing for kids every day. I couldn’t be more proud. I remember the day he came to Alabama, and I’m so glad he stayed,” said Dr. Eric Mackey, Alabama State Superintendent.
Gonsoulin was named the superintendent of Jefferson County Schools in November 2019. Under his leadership, JEFCOED has developed high school Signature Academies. This model led to a 357% increase in the number of students that earned industry credentials, indicating that those students possess the qualifications for entry-level employment.
College and Career Readiness rates have steadily increased during Gonsoulin’s tenure, including a four percent jump last year. The amount of scholarships offered to JEFCOED seniors has also continually grown. The class of 2024 set a new district record with over 108 million dollars. The district now also funds dual enrollment classes for all students making higher education more accessible. Participation in those courses has more than doubled since the initiative began.
“There are going to be other districts all over the country that are going to say, ‘what is going on in Jefferson County? We need to know!’ The initiatives, the programs, the hard work that we all do, we already knew that it was important. And we already knew that we were doing the right thing. But this seals the deal. It makes it legitimate, that not only the district and the people that we serve know it, not even the state, but the country knows it as well,” said Gonsoulin.
“We are so excited! Dr. Gonsoulin is the one who leads the charge on ‘this is a family’ and this is a family affair. From the deputy superintendents, the board, teachers, custodians, all of us are celebrating for what he is representing us for,” said Ronnie Dixon, Jefferson County Board of Education President.
📹 Watch the full announcement and Dr. Gonsoulin's acceptance speech after being named National Superintendent of the Year by AASA, The Schools Superintendents Association.