SBCUSD’S Dr. Dale Marsden Named Superintendent of the Year

Dr. Dale Marsden, leader of the San Bernardino City Unified School District, was named Superintendent of the Year by his alma mater, Pepperdine University, where he earned his doctorate degree. Marsden, who has been the SBCUSD superintendent since July 2012, received the distinction on Jan. 28 during the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) annual Superintendents’ Symposium in Monterey. Marsden was also named the ACSA Superintendent of the Year for Region 12, which spans San Bernardino County. He was lauded for his visionary leadership and for inspiring positive change in the District, California’s ninth largest. Under Marsden’s tenure, the District’s high school graduation rate has soared, more parents are directly involved in funding decisions that impact students, and more students are earning the skills necessary to succeed in college and careers. For Marsden, the award is really a tribute to the teachers, staff, and students. “To be named Superintendent of the Year by Pepperdine University and ACSA is an honor for me, but more importantly, it’s a testament to the work our entire San Bernardino City Unified School District is doing to make hope happen in our community,” Marsden said. “This recognition really goes to our District, our Board, the teachers, staff, school leaders, parents, and most importantly, our 50,000 students who strive for success every day.” Through SBCUSD and his 20 years of experience as an educator, Marsden has transformed the lives of students through initiatives focused on a broad-based community engagement approach. Additionally, Marsden’s work has helped initiate change in the City of San Bernardino, assisting in its growth from bankruptcy to a community of excellence. Currently, Marsden is working with Gallup, Inc. This partnership was developed to evaluate community-wide measures of hope, engagement, well-being, entrepreneurial aspiration, and financial and career literacy to determine new methods to continue to build a more prosperous and thriving school district and community, similar to that of SBCUSD and the City of San Bernardino. The Superintendent of the Year Award adds to other recent accolades Marsden has received, including the Patriot Award, which was presented to him in January by the Inland Empire Concerned African-American Churches. In April, Marsden is also set to receive the Time for Change Foundation’s Public Education Dynamic Duo Award, which he will share with SBCUSD Deputy Superintendent Dr. Harold J. Vollkommer.