Martin Ringstaff, Director of Schools at Cleveland City Schools, was awarded the 2015 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award by the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), a consortium of universities from across the United States that are committed to advancing the preparation and practice of educational leaders. Each year, the UCEA Executive Committee invites member university faculties to select a distinguished leader who has an exemplary record of supporting school administrator preparation efforts.
This is a unique award in that it affords national recognition, but the recipients are selected by individual universities. This award recognizes practicing school administrators for exemplary contributions to leadership development and school improvement.
Dr. Ringstaff, who earned his Ed.D. from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, began his career as an instructor at Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA) prior to becoming an administrator. As Director of Cleveland City Schools, Dr. Ringstaff oversees a school system of 5,320 students, 804 faculty and staff, and an annual budget of 41.8 million dollars.
Dr. Ringstaff was nominated for his dedication and commitment to furthering the field of education. In addition to his role as Director of Schools, Dr. Ringstaff is an adjunct instructor at Liberty University where he is the Administration Internship Supervisor for master’s and doctoral candidates. He has also been involved at the University of Tennessee as an instructor in Educational Leadership and Policy classes. Dr. Ringstaff is masterful at using educational theory to inform professional practice. He unselfishly shares his knowledge and experience with practitioners, scholars, and students and has been instrumental in the development of future leaders and the improvement of schools.