[SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA] (Dec. 19, 2022) – Suffolk Public School Division Superintendent Dr. John B. Gordon, III, has been selected as a 2022 Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). Dr. Gordon joins just 24 other superintendents nationwide who were selected for the honor in recognition of their innovative and effective use of technology to engage and inform the school community and to expand two-way communication and outreach efforts.

To keep the community informed, Dr. Gordon began a Facebook Live series to provide follow-up information from school board meetings and share pertinent information promptly and broadly. He has been integral in supporting varied promotional channels like the SPS Lunch and Learn series and the division's STARCast monthly podcasts, which air to show our division's students' and employees' dynamic lives and work. Suffolk Public Schools streams STARCast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. The podcast has had over 400 downloads and six episodes.

As a firm believer in nuanced communication, under the leadership of Dr. Gordon, SPS created its first Social Media Specialist position at the Administrative level. He is also the first SPS Superintendent to use Facebook Live and Podcasting to communicate with our school community and stakeholders. The first Live session was held in August 2020, during the Coronavirus pandemic, reaching over 80,000 users in and around the City of Suffolk. During the 2021-2022 school year, the SPS Facebook page gained 812 new followers. Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter continue to grow as the division creates more digital video content to share on the platforms.

This year's honorees understand how important effective communication is in building trust and relationships with families, employees, students, and community members in their districts," said NSPRA Executive Director Barbara M. Hunter, APR. "These emerging leaders have proven to be dedicated champions of innovative communication efforts to advance their district's success.

NSPRA had a record number of nominations this year—nearly 60—and many exceptional candidates, making the selection process very competitive. Since the 2015-16 school year, NSPRA has recognized 127 school district leaders as Superintendents to Watch. Honorees must have fewer than five years of experience as a superintendent and must demonstrate dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core.

Visit www.nspra.org/superintendents-watch to learn more about this award.

About NSPRA
As the leader in school communication, NSPRA serves more than 2,500 members who work primarily as communication directors in public school districts and education organizations throughout the United States and Canada. NSPRA provides high-quality professional development programming through on-demand learning, an annual National Seminar, webinars, online forums and resources. For more information, visit NSPRA's website at www.nspra.org. 

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