NH's 2024 Superintendent Of The Year Has Been Named

PETERBOROUGH, NH — The New Hampshire School Administrators Association has announced their 2024 Superintendent of the Year, and she's an advocate for women in education.

Dr. Kimberly Rizzo Saunders, the superintendent of the Contoocook Valley School District, "was selected by her peers for her passion, knowledge and dedication to her role as a superintendent and for her contagious enthusiasm for public education and children," the association said in a news release Friday.

Her partnerships in the district's nine communities include collaborations to help give support and resources to children and families tackling challenges involving mental health, well-being, housing, and homelessness — collaborations which have led to summer programming and tutoring for students, staff development led by community groups, and public events.

Rizzo Saunders also supports efforts to increase the number of women in administrative positions in education, recently leading professional development on negotiating strategies specifically for women.

Through Rizzo Saunders' leadership and in collaboration with the ConVal School Board, the District filed suit against the State of New Hampshire over the question of adequate funding for public education, the association noted. A Superior Court judge recently ruled in favor of the District and its co-plaintiffs, and ordered the state legislature to increase per-pupil funding for all districts.

"Her actions have reignited the conversation about the basic rights of students and the essential role that public education plays in our society," Rizzo Saunders' nominators wrote, in part. "She has invested countless hours, sacrificed personal time, and made difficult decisions, all with the sole purpose of advancing educational opportunities for the students of New Hampshire. Her selflessness and willingness to put the needs of others above her own make her a true servant leader."

Rizzo Saunders has worked as an administrator in the Londonderry, Hollis-Brookline, and Winnisquam districts, joining Conval as Assistant Superintendent in 2009. She was selected as Superintendent in 2016.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and teaching from Rivier University. Rizzo Saunders also got her master’s degree in history — and eventually her doctorate — from Northeastern University. Most recently, she completed her Certificate in Education Finance at Georgetown University.

In February, Rizzo Saunders will be recognized during the School Superintendents Association national conference in San Diego, before serving as keynote speaker at the annual New Hampshire School Administrators conference in June.

"There is no higher honor than to be recognized by your peers, and I am deeply grateful for their guidance," Rizzo Saunders said in Friday's news release. "This award is not truly individual, but recognizes the collective efforts of the ConVal community, my family and friends, and those who have supported me throughout my career."