Four district leaders have been named finalists for Superintendent of the Year by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, for their focus on developing career and technical education programs, ensuring financial stability, and boosting student safety.
The finalists are: Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, superintendent of the Peoria school district in Illinois; Walter Gonsoulin Jr., superintendent of Jefferson County schools in Alabama; Debbie Jones, superintendent of the Bentonville school district in Arkansas; and David Moore, superintendent in Indian River County, Fla.
The finalists will participate in a press conference Jan. 9 at the National Press Club in Washington, and the winner will be named in March at AASA’s national conference in New Orleans. All finalists were recently named superintendent of the year in their respective states.
“These extraordinary leaders embody the transformative power of public education,” said AASA Executive Director David Schuler. “Their visionary leadership is creating dynamic opportunities for students, uplifting communities, and advancing the promise of public education as the foundation of our democracy. We are honored to celebrate their achievements.”
Applicants were rated based on their creativity to meet students’ needs; strengths in both personal and organization communication; continuous improvement of their own skills and providing professional development to staff; and active participation in their communities.
Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, Peoria, Ill.
Desmoulin-Kherat has been the superintendent of the Peoria school district for 10 years. She believes “schools cannot function in isolation” and that they thrive when the entire community is involved in students’ success, according to her biography on the AASA website. During her tenure, she has reduced a longstanding teacher shortage and expanded career and technical education programs. High school graduation rates have increased from 65 percent to 80 percent.
Her “vision for education is rooted in her community involvement, love, and passion to provide opportunities for children to succeed,” her biography says.
Before becoming a superintendent, Desmoulin-Kherat was a teacher, principal, and associate superintendent in Illinois districts.
Walter Gonsoulin Jr., Jefferson County, Ala.
Gonsoulin has served as superintendent of Alabama’s second largest district since 2019. Under his leadership, the school system has developed “signature academies” at the elementary and high school levels and the value of college scholarships high school seniors have received has grown.
Gonsoulin previously worked as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent as well as the assistant director of a career and technology center. He has also worked a a diversity consultant for school districts across the southern and northeastern United States, and has written and published more than a dozen journal articles on various education topics including developing leadership among at-risk students, according to his biography.
Debbie Jones, Bentonville, Ark.
Jones is in her ninth year as the Bentonville superintendent and has been celebrated for a focus on providing affordable housing for teachers, strong communication with parents and the community, and student safety.
She has served on the Northwest Arkansas American Heart Association Board of Directors, written legislative language to ensure district leaders across Arkansas are notified when a student with a violent criminal history enrolls in their district, and has been a vocal opponent of student vaping, according to her biography. In a 2019 op-ed in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Jones called for a number of state policies to reduce teen vaping. “Make no mistake: The tobacco companies have identified their next target, and it’s your teenage child,” she wrote.
Jones previously worked as the assistant commissioner for learning services at Arkansas’ state department of education as well as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent.
David Moore, Indian River County, Fla.
Moore has been superintendent of the Indian River County district for five years. Under his leadership, the district has improved its state ranking in Florida’s school grading system by 29 positions, moving from 38th in 2018-19 to ninth in 2023-24, according to the state education department. In the 2023-24 school year, students outperformed state averages in all tested subjects.
He has been credited with addressing a number of the district’s financial problems, generating about $4.5 million in cost savings from downsizing and restructuring measures. The district’s credit rating has also improved during his tenure. Fitch Ratings recently changed the district’s credit outlook to “positive,” an improvement from the “negative” outlook the agency assigned the district in 2019.
Moore has participated in professional programs to bolster his education leadership abilities, including Yale University’s fellowship for educational leaders and the Florida Chief Executive Officers district leadership program.
