Super Superintendent

All of us with Coile Serves, are super proud of our SUPER Superintendent!

Clarke County School District Superintendent Philip D. Lanoue has been named the 2015 AASA National Superintendent of the Year. The announcement was made at the National Conference on Education hosted by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, in San Diego. Lanoue was named Georgia Superintendent of the Year Dec. 5 by the Georgia School Superintendents Association and the Georgia School Boards Association.

“I am incredibly honored to be recognized as National Superintendent of the Year, and am so proud to share this recognition with Athens and the Clarke County School District community,” said Lanoue. “Together, as a community of learners, we have made a difference in the lives of our children, and I am so pleased that we have been recognized for this on a national level.”

Lanoue was selected for excellence in the following criteria:

• Leadership for learning – creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in the school system

• Communication – strength in both personal and organizational communication

• Professionalism – constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team

• Community involvement – active participation in local community activities and an understanding of regional, national and international issues

Under Lanoue’s leadership, the Clarke County School District has been honored as a Title I Distinguished District for being Georgia’s #1 large district for closing the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students. In addition, student achievement has risen – especially in crucial transition years of 5th and 8th grades. All middle schools, as well as Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central High Schools, are now International Baccalaureate Authorized World Schools.

He has also been instrumental in innovative partnerships including the revitalization of the Athens Community Career Academy, a partnership with Athens Technical College. He also worked closely with the University of Georgia College of Education in forming one of the nation's only Professional Development School Districts.

Said Board President Charles Worthy, “Dr. Lanoue is more than deserving to be National Superintendent of the Year. Under his 6-year leadership, students are achieving at much higher levels, we have formed a variety of partnerships in our community and students have a multitude of opportunities to succeed. Our Board is incredibly proud of him for this well-deserved honor.”

Prior to serving as superintendent of the Clarke County School District, he was Area Assistant Superintendent for the Cobb County School District in Marietta, Ga. Before that, Lanoue served as principal for 18 years in four high schools (Burlington High School, Lexington High School, Vergennes Union High School and Weston High School) in Massachusetts and Vermont, his home state (Sheldon Springs is his hometown). Lanoue’s subject specialty is biology, and he began his educational career as a science teacher.

Lanoue has received a variety of accolades during his distinguished career. Most recently, he was tapped by President Barack Obama to attend a digital learning forum at the White House for superintendents at the forefront of educational technology. In addition, he has been named as one of the Top 50 Technological Innovators in Education by the Center for Digital Education and Converge, Boston Northwest Principal of the Year, National Association of Secondary School Principals Vermont Principal of the Year and Hockey Coach of the Year. He also served on the advisory board for The Principals' Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he oversaw leadership interns from a variety of Ivy League universities.

Lanoue received his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Mercer University, M.Ed. in Administration and Planning from the University of Vermont and a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Vermont. He graduated from Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, Vt. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia in the Educational Administration and Policy program in the Department of Lifelong Education, Administration and Policy. He resides in Athens with his wife, Vickie, and is the proud father of two daughters, Jaime and Joslyn, who live in the New England area.