Dr. Art Stellar Receives National Award

Pictured: AASA’s Executive Director Dr. Dan Domenech congratulating Dr. Art Stellar (Alpha-Beta, Ohio) upon his selection for the 2015 Distinguished Service Award at the AASA conference in Phoenix.

Washington, DC – March 1, 2016

AASA, the national School Superintendents Association, honors National Education Foundation (NEF) Vice President, Dr. Art Stellar with its Distinguished Service Award for 2015. AASA recognizes Dr. Stellar’s years of service as an outstanding educator. The ceremony of recognition was just held at AASA’s National Conference on Education in Phoenix, Arizona.

Education leaders are recognized by AASA for bringing honor to themselves, their colleagues and their profession; rendering exemplary service to their state or national professional association; and contributing to the education field through writing, public advocacy and/or other activities. Dr. Stellar continues to demonstrate this service in his role at the National Education Foundation, where he aids school districts across the nation acquire funding for STEM education and capital projects.

2015 recipient is:

Dr. Arthur Stellar

Frater Dr. Art Stellar (Alpha-Beta, Ohio) is the VP of the National Education Foundation and CyberLearning. He was VP for Renaissance Learning and president/CEO of High/Scope Education Research Foundation. A 25-year superintendent, Stellar is recognized as an educator who generates educational excellence and equity and develops leaders — 52 of his protégés have become superintendents, as well. He has also built highly productive and sustainable financial systems. He won a landmark school desegregation case at the US Supreme Court which validated the reduction of the achievement gap between white and Africian-American students. He has served as superintendent in urban districts including Boston, MA, Oklahoma City, OK, and Taunton, MA; rural districts such as Mercer County, WV, and Burke County, NC; a suburban district, Cobb County, GA and a combination district in Kingston, NY.

 Stellar was president of ASCD, the North American Chapter of the World Council on Curriculum and Instruction, and the Horace Mann League. He was twice elected chairman of the National Board of Directors for the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network at Clemson University among his offices in other national associations. His community service includes serving as VP of the New York state PTA, Boy Scouts, Rotary, Tau Kappa Epsilon – National Foundation Board of Directors, and Ohio University. A four-time Fulbright Scholar, Stellar is widely published with over 500 publications. Stellar has received numerous honors throughout his career, including AASA’s Leadership for Learning and Dr. Effie H. Jones Humanitarian awards – the only AASA member to have ever won these two awards and the Distinguished Service Award.

Dr. Appu Kuttan, Chairman of the National Education Foundation, and a global expert in STEM+ education, stated “We are proud of Dr. Stellar for winning this prestigious honor. It is an indication of the outstanding quality of service he brings to the table when working with superintendents, business managers and school board members on their Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, which brings millions of dollars into their school districts, as well as provides outstanding STEM+ educational programs.”

In the fall of 2015, Dr. Stellar was honored by Ohio University as a Medal of Merit winner at Homecoming. He was also honored last October by being selected for the prestigious Eleanor Roosevelt Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an educational honorary organization for educators.

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 the highest quality public education for all children. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.

About NEF
The National Education Foundation (NEF), founded in 1989, is the national non-profit leader in bridging the academic, financial and job skills divide by providing world-class STEM+ education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, English, Social Studies, test prep, digital literacy, IT, business and management) to millions of disadvantaged students and adults, visit www.cyberlearning.org. 

Dr. Art Stellar may be reached at arttellar@yahoo.com or 828-764-1785