Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Terry Connor named national Superintendent to Watch
The head of Sarasota County Schools is receiving national recognition for his communication efforts, the Sarasota County School District announced.
Sarasota Schools Superintendent Terry Connor has been named a Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). The recognition honors up to 25 superintendents across the country with fewer than five years of experience who demonstrate dynamic leadership and effective communication.
The 25 were chosen from among more than 70 nominees, the NSPRA said in a press release. Connor and Collier County Public Schools Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli were the only Florida honorees announced by the association.
The Superintendent to Watch recognition highlights the communication efforts of its recipients. Candidates who were considered met the following criteria:
- Implemented a communication program for the district that includes the use of new communication technology as well as more standard communication tools;
- Integrated communication goals and strategies into the district’s strategic plan; and
- Active, visible involvement in the district's communication effort (e.g., tweets, blogs, participates in face-to-face engagement activities, responsive to media requests, models good communication for staff).
The Sarasota School Board voted 3-2 to hire Connor in June 2023, and since then, the district has implemented several new communication initiatives. The district’s YouTube channel, for example, launched its “Did You Know?” series of informational videos on different programs and services as well as a “Trading Spaces with Terry Connor” series, where the superintendent does the job of another district employee for a day.
The recognition comes as Connor and the board have received backlash for a decision to reduce School Board meetings from twice a month to once a month in 2025, which some fear will reduce transparency. The board will convene for a workshop to reevaluate the new schedule in the spring and reinstate two meetings a month if necessary.
Contact Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @hmb_1013.