Mary Cadez, Assistant Superintendent of Salem-Keizer School District, has been selected as the recipient of the 2013 Achievement of Excellence Award by the Oregon Association of Central Office Administrators (OACOA).

Cadez has served in Salem-Keizer since 2007, as Assistant Superintendent with responsibility for Human Resources, Middle Schools and Risk Management.  She has worked on many special projects that reach beyond the normal expectations for her position, all of which focus on the educational development of students and staff.

Cadez is perhaps best know for her work in preparing a new generation of school leaders, and is innovative in her approaches to building leadership capacity.    Not only does she model using technology as a teaching and learning tool, but she has also redefined Salem-Keizer's Teacher Mentor Program.  She works closely with the mentor coordinator to provide teachers new to the profession with active mentors.  The grant for this program has been successfully renewed for four years and now the district supports three full years of mentorship for each new teacher.

In addition, four years ago, Cadez began a mentorship program for new administrators.  This program assists in the professional growth of new educational leaders and includes Balanced Leadership Training, as well as self-selected topics for professional growth.   Administrators who are new to the district meet regularly in an after work session with Cadez to review policies and procedures and to strengthen their practice as administrators in their buildings.  Cadez fields their questions, offers guidance and creates in the group a cohort of learners who support one another.

Salem-Keizer Professional Development Coordinator Rachael Harms states, “Mary is an individual who blends extreme personal humility with intense professional determination.  She stays positive and enthusiastic in the face of tremendous pressure, possesses a huge breadth and depth of knowledge, stays current in her professional learning, has strong core values, is purposeful in her work, and always places the well-being of students and staff first.”

Cadez was honored last week at the OASE/OACOA Winter Conference in Salishan.  She will also be honored at the COSA Annual Conference in Seaside this June.