News
March 16, 2022Questar III BOCES Superintendent Gladys Cruz elected to National Position
Gladys Cruz, district superintendent of Questar III BOCES in Castleton, N.Y., has been elected as the 2022-23 president-elect of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, the nation’s premier organization representing more than 13,000 public school superintendents nationwide.
“When I speak of a true champion for children, the name Gladys Cruz immediately comes to mind. On behalf of the AASA family, it is an honor to congratulate her as the next president-elect of our organization,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “A longtime stalwart in public education, Superintendent Cruz has worked diligently to meet the pressing challenges of not only the students in her own region but students across the country. Her track record as a bold and innovative leader speaks for itself. I look forward to working with her in her new role.”
“We must continue to focus on putting students first with everything we do individually as superintendents and collectively in this association,” said Cruz. “In my role (as a member of AASA’s Executive Committee), I am proud to work with 22 superintendents – urban, suburban, rural, rich, poor, average wealth, high needs, average needs, and low needs districts alike. This allows me to look at opportunities and issues from a wide lens. I will help build consensus and focus on meeting the needs of our members and students. After close to four decades in many roles in public education, my commitment is larger than ever.”
Cruz serves as a commissioner of AASA’s Learning 2025 Network: A National Commission on Student Centered-Equity-Focused Education. She also serves as a lead teacher of the AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy® for Latino and Latina Leaders and a mentor in the AASA National Superintendent Certification Program®. Cruz is a member of the New York State Council of School Superintendents.
Cruz earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University at Albany. She earned two master’s degrees—one in curriculum development and instructional technology from UAlbany and one in bilingual education from the Universidad del Turabo in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
She and other newly elected AASA governance members will begin their terms on July 1. Shari Camhi, superintendent of the Baldwin Union Free School District in Baldwin, N.Y., and Cruz will be sworn in as president and president-elect, respectively, in July, at a summer meeting of the AASA Governing Board.
###
About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education.
About Questar III BOCES
Questar III, a Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), is an educational service agency providing instructional and support services to 22 public school districts in Rensselaer, Columbia, and Greene counties. Questar III BOCES offers elementary, secondary, and adult students choices and opportunities in education. Whether they are interested in exploring career and technical opportunities, seeking alternatives to the traditional classroom setting, or in need of support of physical, developmental, or emotional disabilities, Questar III BOCES offers programs and services designed to help all students succeed.
