Oxford Board of Education Appoints Ana Ortiz as Superintendent of Schools

In a statement the Oxford Board of Education announces the hiring of Ana Ortiz as its new superintendent of schools.

Here is the full statement from the Board of Education:

“We are very pleased to announce the selection of Ms. Ana (Annie) Ortiz as the new Superintendent of the Oxford Public Schools.

Ms. Ortiz comes to us from an impressive career at all levels of public schools. She has served as a high school English teacher, elementary reading consultant, elementary principal, middle school vice-principal, high school assistant principal and principal.

In 2008, Ms. Ortiz became Windham’s assistant superintendent and she assumed the role of superintendent in 2010. Ms. Ortiz has also served as a member of the Air National Guard.

The selection of the Superintendent is one of the single most important decisions that the Oxford Board of Education will make for our schools and our community. We are extremely appreciative of the over 200 individuals who participated in the superintendent search through surveys and focus groups and provided their perspectives in helping define the qualities of an ideal Superintendent for Oxford.

Focus groups were held in May and June with the Board of Education, faculty, administrators, parents, PTO and Boosters leadership, and community members. The Oxford Superintendent Search Survey was available online in June. The majority of the over 200 surveys (55%) were completed by parents and community members and 45% were completed by school staff and students. The Oxford Board of Education gave their commitment of time and talent throughout this comprehensive process and chose Ms. Ortiz unanimously for this leadership position.

Fourteen candidates submitted complete applications and these were carefully reviewed for fit with the profile of qualities desired by the many constituents who gave us input. The Oxford Board of Education conducted several rounds of interviews and extensive reference checks. Several of the candidates the Board interviewed were well qualified and would have provided strong leadership for the district but Ms. Ortiz impressed the Board as the best fit with Oxford.

Ms. Ortiz skills and attributes aligned particularly well with those identified in the Oxford Leadership profile. She is an approachable, open minded, fair, collaborative leader with the ability to engage and work with district stakeholders in a manner exemplified by honesty and integrity.

She has a successful track record of improving teaching and learning. Annie maintains a high level of personal visibility and accessibility in the schools and community. She has a reputation for handling challenges professionally and confidently while advocating for quality education.

As the final step in our selection process, two Board of Education members conducted a site visit on August 29. They met with Windham Board of Education members, elected officials, community leadership, parents, teachers, and principals who had all worked with Annie during her tenure there. They all provided universally glowing testimonials of Annie and her tenure in Windham.

They described Ms. Ortiz as a principled, committed, visible leader who is motivated by what she believes is best for students. She builds personal relationships and is approachable. She has highest levels of integrity and an impeccable reputation. She couples high expectations (for herself and others) and a deep work ethic with deep caring.

Please join us in welcoming Ms. Ana Ortiz as the new Superintendent for Oxford Public Schools. The final details of her transition are being worked out; we anticipate that Ms. Ortiz will join us officially on September 15, 2014. The Oxford Board of Education will host a reception in the near future, so that staff, parents, and the community can meet and welcome her.

Diane Soracco, Chair, Oxford Board of Education