CHERRY VALLEY, AR - Dr. Matt McClure, Superintendent, with Cross County School District was awarded the 2010 Superintendent of the Year Award.  The award was presented by Mike Mertens, Interim Exec. Dir. for the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators.  Dr. Tom Kimbrell, ADE Commissioner of Education, conducted the introduction for the evening.   Dr. Kimbrell stated, “Dr. McClure is the youngest superintendent to have received this prestigious award.”    He also went on to say, “The award is a selection of one superintendent in the state of Arkansas for the work they do for not only their district but also throughout the state.  This award, not only highlights Cross County School District, but also the state of Arkansas at the national level.  His work has been recognized at the Arkansas Department of Education, the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, and across the state with the majority of the colleagues.  He’s brought new ideas as to how technology can be used with todays kids.”
“In my opinion it is one of the greatest recognitions that can be bestowed upon a person when your peers, the people that do the same work as you do, choose you as the person that has done that job better than anybody else in the State of Arkansas.”
Notables in attendance, who were also past winners of the award:  Andrew Tolbert, Tony Wood, Dr. Frank Holman, Jerry Guess, Albert Brown, Frank Anthony
The ceremony took place Monday evening, Nov. 11th, at Kelly’s Restaurant, in Wynne, Arkansas.    The award was established in 1987.  Dr. McClure will represent the state of Arkansas at the American Association of School Administrators.  Retired Superintendent Albert Brown, with JBHM Education Group, donated a check of $1000.00 to supplement the trip to AASA in Phoenix, AZ on Feb. 11th-13th.   Dr. McClure said, “My success is due to the hard work of my teachers, office staff, administrators and the support of the school board.”
Dr. McClure’s educational and teaching background:
Superintendent of Schools, Cross County School District, Cherry Valley, Arkansas 2006 - Present.  Assistant Superintendent of Schools, England School District, England, Arkansas 2003 - 2006.  High School Principal, England School District, England, Arkansas, 2000- 2003 Teacher, Riverview School District, Searcy, Arkansas, 1998 - 2000  Teacher, Prescott School includes:District, Prescott, Arkansas, 1996 – 1998 Adjunct Professor, Arkansas Tech University, Spring 2010 Adjunct Professor, Arkansas State University, 2005-2008 Adjunct Professor, Harding University, 2005-2006.
Dr. McClure’s education includes: Doctor of Education, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas, 2005  Master of Science, Harding University, Searcy, Arkansas, 2001 Bachelor of Science, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas, 1996.
The Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators (AAEA) was organized in 1976. The AAEA is an umbrella association with eleven constituent educational administrator organizations.
Dr. McClure is a 1991 graduate of Beebe High School. He is married to Cathy Cook McClure - a 1993 Beebe Beebe High School graduate. The couple have two children, Eli, 7, and Ava, 5. Dr. McClure’s parents are Robin and Kaye McClure of Beebe.  His in-laws are Tommy and Judy Welch of Beebe.