The Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents named Guilford Public Schools Superintendent Paul Freeman the state’s 2020 Superintendent of the Year on Monday.
“It is an honor to be named Superintendent of the Year, especially in this most unusual of years,” Freeman said in a statement. “To represent my friends and colleagues who do this important work across Connecticut, in the face of this pandemic, in a moment when concerns and conversations about equity and social justice concerns have taken on such importance for our country, and for our children, is truly humbling.”
An advocate of equity and inclusivity, this past summer, Freeman recommended the discontinuation of Guilford High School’s “Indians” mascot, which was unanimously approved by the school board.
Freeman, who has served as Guilford’s superintendent since 2011, is also an adjunct instructor at UConn’s Neag School of Education. Prior to leading Guilford’s school system, he served as superintendent of the Griswold Public Schools, and in various administrative roles in the East Lyme school system. His career as an educator started as an English language arts teacher in the Amity school district, teaching middle and high school students.
Superintendents of the Year are selected for their excellence in leadership, communication, professionalism and community involvement.
Kathleen Greider, past president of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents and superintendent of Farmington Public Schools, called Freeman “an innovative instructional leader deeply committed to the success of all children.”
“He is generous in his willingness to share Guilford’s best practices in the areas of student-centered learning, college and career readiness and equity with colleagues from across Connecticut and beyond,” she said in a statement.
