WSU Spokane Educator Receives Statewide Award

SPOKANE, Wash. — The Washington Association of School Administrators gave one of its highest honors to Dennis Ray, associate professor of educational leadership at WSU Spokane and director of Leaders for Tomorrow’s Schools.

Ray received the 2005 Service to WASA Award for his active support of the organization throughout his 30-year career in education. The award was announced at WASA’s annual conference in Spokane.

Ray, a former Washington state school superintendent, played a lead role in creating the two-year superintendent program offered by WSU through the Spokane campus. The program, launched in 1996, now prepares approximately two-thirds of the school superintendents receiving credentials in the state, helping to meet the state’s critical shortage of well-prepared administrators.

Upon learning of the award from WASA, Ray said, “It is a tremendous and humbling honor to receive this award. WASA has been a major part of my professional career and my personal life for the past 30 years. Any successes that I have achieved are due, in large part, to my WASA friends and colleagues. I admire and commend those educators who go to work each day in an effort to make life better for the kids in our schools.”

Ray served 10 years on the WASA Board of Directors and was president of the association in 1985-86. He holds a doctoral degree in education WSU and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Central Washington University.

His administrative career included 10 years as superintendent of the Walla Walla School District and four years as superintendent in the Northshore district, a suburb of Seattle. In 1987 he was named Washington State Superintendent of the Year, and in 1989 was the state’s nominee for the National Superintendent of the Year award. Prior to joining the WSU faculty, Ray received the 1992 Outstanding Practitioner award from the College of Education, and in 1994, he received the school’s Cougar Leadership award.

Joan Kingrey, director of education programs at WSU Spokane, said, “I can think of no one more deserving for this honor than Dennis Ray. He has been exemplary in his support of superintendents and administrators in the state of Washington. The field-based superintendent’s program provides exceptional preparation for superintendents and has become a proud tradition at Washington State University.”

Field-based superintendent certification program

The school superintendent program Ray directs, headquartered at WSU Spokane, focuses on superintendent preparation, leadership standards, change facilitation and board relationships. A number of students in the superintendent’s program go on to earn the Doctor of Education degree, available statewide from WSU.

The field-based model allows administrators to pursue graduate studies while remaining in their home districts, with seminars taught around the state. One of the strengths cited repeatedly by students and alumni is the strength of the professional network established by students in each cohort, providing valuable lifelong connections.

The program was recognized in 2002 as a national model. According to Joseph Schneider, deputy executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, “WSU’s program successfully combines high scholarship with practical application. When AASA puts out the list of the exemplary superintendent preparation programs in the United States, WSU is always included. It is one of the six top schools in the U.S. for preparing superintendents.”

Programs in education at WSU Spokane

In addition to the superintendent’s program, WSU Spokane also offers courses leading to credentials as a principal or program administrator; courses designed for teachers earning their professional certificate; a postmaster’s school psychology certification designed for people who already hold a master’s degree in counseling or education; master’s and doctoral degrees in education; student teaching placements; and a master’s degree in teaching designed for career-changers who hold a degree in another field and wish to become certified to teach K-8.

For more information, contact Kelly LaGrutta, lagrutta@wsu.edu, (509) 358-7942, or visit the Web site at www.education.spokane.wsu.edu.

WSU College of Education

The College of Education at WSU offers 35 graduate specializations and preparation for six professional educator certificates for the state of Washington. All these degree programs and professional certificates are available at the Pullman campus, and many are available at the Spokane, Tri-Cities and Vancouver campuses. Some are offered statewide at distance learning sites.

WSU’s Educational Leadership program is one of 70 doctoral-granting programs nationwide selected for membership in the University Council for Educational Administration (https://ucea.org), a national consortium dedicated to the improvement of educational leadership preparation and practice. WSU’s program meets the high programmatic standards for UCEA membership, and WSU’s graduate students have the opportunity to participate in UCEA’s annual convention and other professional activities.

WSU’s administrator certification programs are organized around the national ISLLC (Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium) standards, which have been adopted as the certification standards for Washington state licensure. The goal of these standards and the college’s programs is to prepare educational leaders who can provide effective leadership to promote learning for all children in K-12 schools.

Web sites:

·   WSU Spokane Education Programs: www.education.spokane.wsu.edu

·   WSU Spokane: www.spokane.wsu.edu

·   WSU Superintendent Program Is National Model: https://wsunews.wsu.edu/detail.asp?StoryID=3190 (Aug. 14, 2002)