Krista Parent is nation's top superintendent for 2007

Teamwork ethic, leadership skills catapult Duck into national spotlight among school administrators

Krista Parent, the superintendent of the South Lane School District in Cottage Grove and a UO alumna, says being named National Superintendent of the Year for 2007 isn't just about her. Rather, the veteran teacher and school administrator is the first to share the kudos with her district colleagues, teachers, and students for their own contributions to district-wide achievements.

"Nothing ever happens in education with just one person," says Parent whose selection—the first ever for an Oregon educator during the award program's twenty-year history—was announced in early March during the annual conference of the American Association of School Administrators. She had been recognized as Oregon Superintendent of the Year in October.

Teamwork is second nature to the former starter for the Ducks softball team (1979-1983). It's how Parent gets things done to serve the 2,900-student district that has emerged as a state leader in literacy, mathematics, and technology. Her leadership in developing key community relationships and supportive teams of parents, peer educators, and administrator colleagues throughout Oregon speak highly of Parent's effectiveness as a chief school administrator.

Parent is happy to trumpet the South Lane district's achievements, including a 22 percent improvement over five years in the number of Cottage Grove students who now meet or exceed state reading standards. Cottage Grove High School also now offers students six Advanced Placement courses. When Parent became superintendent in 2001, no Advanced Placement studies were offered in the district. Parent also worked with teachers to begin the "Learning to Read, Reading to Learn" program, improving outcomes for struggling high school readers.

Parent's career has blossomed in the South Lane district, where she started as a physical education teacher soon after graduating in 1984 from the University of Oregon. In 1992, she received her master's degree in educational administration from the University of Oregon College of Education and moved to the district level in 1994 as the director of curriculum and instruction. After becoming assistant superintendent for South Lane in 1996, she took over superintendent duties in 2001. Parent recently completed her doctoral studies at the University of Oregon in educational leadership.

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