I love teaching courses, because it keeps me on the cutting edge of what's happening."
Martin Ringstaff, director of Cleveland City Schools, teaches a summer course on advanced school law to students at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
And he doesn't have to step foot on campus to instruct the students, who are teachers aiming to become principals.
"It's a distance course," Ringstaff said. "It's totally online."
Martin RingstaffThe teaching work Ringstaff has done at UT on Monday won him a 2015 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award by the University Council for Educational Administration, a consortium of universities from across the United States.
The award recognizes practicing school administrators for exemplary contributions to leadership development and school improvement.
"Dr. Ringstaff has been very instrumental in educating our students on law," said Pam Angelle, an associate professor in UT's Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. She nominated Ringstaff for the award, and he's the only person associated with UT to win it.
Ringstaff had no idea he had been nominated for the honor.
"I had no clue," he said. "I just moved to Tennessee four years ago. I didn't go to UTK. I don't have any tie-in, except teaching this one course for them."
Ringstaff, who earned his Doctor of Education degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., oversees a school system of 5,320 students, 804 employees and an annual budget of $41.8 million. Before starting as superintendent in Cleveland four years ago, he spent three years as assistant superintendent in Bristol, Va. Before that, he spent seven years working as a high school principal in Virginia.
Ringstaff also teaches summer courses at Lee University and his alma mater, Liberty University.
"I love teaching courses, because it keeps me on the cutting edge of what's happening," he said.
Contact Tim Omarzu at tomarzu@timesfreepress.com or www.facebook.com/tim.omarzu or twitter.com/TimOmarzu or 423-757-6651.