Lisa Witte of Peterborough is in her seventh year as superintendent at Monadnock Regional School District.
Previously, she had worked for Biddeford High School, Pembroke Academy, the Manchester School District and the Hillsboro-Deering School District
“Seven years is a long time,” she said. “I think I’ve earned the trust of the community. There’s a lot we have here to celebrate.”
Those celebrations can now include a personal accomplishment, as Witte was named New Hampshire Superintendent of the Year for 2022 by the New Hampshire School Administrators Association, in coordination with the American Association of School Administrators.
“I am honored, humbled and I’m excited to represent my district, Monadnock, and the state. It’s an incredible honor,” she said. “We have such an outstanding group of superintendents in our state. It feels good.”
Witte, who had actually known about her selection for about two months before the official announcement last week, was nominated by Kearsarge Regional School District Superintendent Winifried Feneberg, the recipient of the award for 2021.
“Lisa is just a fierce advocate in public education,” Feneberg said. “She has taken proactive stands to help the education of students. She is a leader among leaders. She cares very much for students and equity among students in our state.”
As part of her application after being nominated, Witte had had to submit a two-minute video, which she said she found a little strange.
“It’s a weird feeling to talk about why I deserve something like this,” she said.
After being selected by a panel of her peers, Witte will travel to Nashville in February for an award ceremony at the national AASA conference and give a keynote speech at the state conference in June.
According to Witte, she has not thought about her speech, and Feneberg said he has not given her any advice.
“I’m sure she will do a wonderful job inspiring the other superintendents,” he said.
Witte said she has invested a lot of energy in culture and climate, which she called “the keystone for creating a safe environment.” In 2017, she started a recognition program where she writes out certificates saluting the efforts of people whose nominations she receives.
“It was really fun to do that, because it helped me have a better understanding of all the awesome things that go on here,” she said.
Last year, Witte said she sent more than 1,000 certificates, and she has done close to 400 so far this year.
“Sometimes, if I need a pick-me-up, I go back to my email and look at the certificates,” she said.
Witte is on the executive board for the state school administrators association, and has testified before the Legislature, most recently on a proposed voucher bill before vouchers were included in the state budget.
She said her concerns about the voucher bill were over the financial impact on public schools — noting that if 20 students leave a district, it loses state funding for those 20 students, but still has to provide the same level of services – and about public funds being used in schools that can turn away students with disabilities.
“That same level of protection doesn’t exist for some of our students with the highest needs,” she said.
Monadnock is also part of the lawsuit filed by ConVal School District in 2019 against the state and Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut, alleging that the state does not meet its constitutional obligation to provide adequate funding for all students.
“My school board is very supportive, and they encourage me to do that,” she said. “Without the support of my school board, I would not be able to be that voice.”
Not only has Witte gotten settled at Monadnock, having lived in Peterborough since 2017, she said this is the first time she has really been able to get involved in the community.
Toward that end, she joined Peterborough Fire and Rescue earlier this year, and having finished all the required classes, is waiting for her EMT license from the state.
“My dad was an EMT/firefighter, and I always thought it was cool,” she said.