Dr. Marc Winger

The Newhall School District (NSD) is still basking in the glow of a former superintendent’s success, after recently retired Dr. Marc Winger was awarded the Association of California School Administrators’ (ACSA) highest honor.

The ACSA recently named Winger to receive this year’s Ferd Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Service Award. Named for the association’s founding president, the award is presented to those who have had a significant impact on public education over a wide geographical area, and who have made contributions that have had an impact on significant segments of public education.

Nominations are reviewed by the ACSA’s awards committee, and the final selection is made by the board of directors. The award is presented at the ACSA’s Leadership Summit in November.
Winger retired at the end of January after nearly 20 years as superintendent of the NSD, and 40 years total in education.

“While I knew I was nominated, I really never expected to win this statewide recognition,” he said. “It’s gratifying to know that my effort to advocate for public education in Sacramento, combined with local success, is appreciated by my peers.”

Newhall School District’s reputation for academic excellence, along with Winger’s influence at a regional and state level, earned him the award. Winger reenergized the activities of the Los Angeles regional ACSA superintendents’ committee when he was chairperson and is recognized as a contributor to legislative and policy efforts at the state level. Winger served on the ACSA’s Superintendency Council for six years, and said it provided him with a forum for giving input on state policy, as well as an opportunity to interact with numerous state and education leaders. The ACSA divides the state into 19 geographical regions.

“This doesn’t just speak to my track record, but also to the excellence of the district’s board, staff, administrators and families,” Winger said. “I am very proud of the culture of success we were able to cultivate.”

Winger’s successor, Superintendent Paul Cordeiro, said the recognition is well-deserved.
“This recognition is not without a lot of years of toil,” he said. “Dr. Winger helped create and nurture a culture of excellence across the board.”

During Winger’s tenure, three district schools received national Blue Ribbon School recognition, and all 10 district schools received California Distinguished School status. Four schools received Title I Academic Achievement Award recognition under the federal No Child Left Behind act, nine were named to the California Business for Education Excellence Foundation’s “honor roll” and the district’s state Academic Performance Index scores have been the highest in the Santa Clarita Valley eight years in a row.

Winger also led the effort to pass Measure K, a $35.5 million modernization and construction bond that, couple with state funds, joint projects and refunding, provided more than $55 million for much-needed projects.

This is not his first award from the ACSA. He was named Region 15 “Superintendent of the Year” for 2004/05 and received the Region 15 “Charter Leadership Award” for 1998/99.
Cordeiro said Winger helped lay important groundwork for the district’s future.

“As a result of Dr. Winger’s leadership, the infrastructure is in place for the district to continue improving science and technology education,” he said. “His award is a testament to the work he did to promote excellence and inspire the district to continue to pursuing the best for its students.”