Sipe appointed to national board

By Terry Murry on Friday, March 31st, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Umatilla School District Superintendent Heidi Sipe has been elected to serve a three-year term on the executive committee of the American Association of School Administrators. Sipe said she plans to represent the needs of the region on that committee.

“I see my role as an executive committee member to listen carefully and understand the region’s needs so I can ensure the AASA as a whole stands ready to support those needs, through advocacy, training opportunities, and support for colleagues,” she said.

Sipe has been a member of AASA for more than nine years. She has served on the governing board since 2017 and was named to the organization’s COVID 19 advisory panel in 2020.

She was named Oregon School Superintendent of the Year in 2016 and has been the driver behind vast improvements in the school district’s high school graduation rate. Sipe was also a key force in persuading Umatilla voters to approve a school construction bond this year.

The 22-member executive committee represents each region of the country and meets quarterly. Sipe is one of four new members chosen for the board. She will represent Region 1 which is comprised of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii.

“I believe and live by the motto, ‘You can’t compete with me, I want you to win too,’” Sipe said as she prepared to take over her new role on July 1.