Dr. Wortham is a Finalist in 2024 Women in School Leadership Awards

Roosevelt School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Deborah Wortham was recently announced as a finalist in the 2024 Women in School Leadership Awards for the highest honor a superintendent can receive. Dr. Wortham was only one of two contenders announced in the superintendent category of the awards, hosted by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) School Superintendent's Association. Dr. Wortham was nominated for her immense impact as a Superintendent since 2008 and for her talent, creativity, and vision for educational administration.

"It's been such an honor to lead the Roosevelt School District and see how our efforts have transformed the education our students receive and the confidence, skills, and knowledge they will bring into their lives post-graduation," said Dr. Wortham. "I'm humbled and awed to be recognized on this level for our work and accomplishments as a District and community."

Superintendents across the country were evaluated for the award based on their capacity to meet the needs of their students, personal and organizational communication strength, constant professional improvement of knowledge and skills, and active community involvement.

In 2020, Dr. Wortham began her second tenure with the Roosevelt School District and worked with the Board of Education and a team of about 100 staff, students, and community members to create a five-year strategic plan to improve students' performance.

Under her leadership, Roosevelt Middle School and Roosevelt High School were removed from the State's needs-improvement list, ranking all five Roosevelt schools in good standing. State assessment performance increased over the past two years, and graduation rates rose from 70% in 2018-2019 to 86% in 2021-2022. Furthermore, the 2023 graduating class earned $4.8 million in scholarships, a 23 percent increase from the total earned by the 2022 graduating class.

The final winner of the award will be announced during the AASA National Conference on Education in February 2024.

The AASA School Superintendents Association is comprised of over 13,000 educational leaders across the globe. Its mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access to the highest quality public education for all students.

To learn more about the Roosevelt Union Free School District, please visit the District's website at https://www.rooseveltufsd.org. Happenings in the District can also be followed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RooseveltUFSD.