First Student and AASA Partner for National Superintendent of the Year® Program

Alexandria, Va. – (Sept. 27, 2017) – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce a partnership with First Student in support of the AASA National Superintendent of the Year® program. First Student is the leading student transportation provider in the U.S. and Canada, transporting more passengers than all domestic airlines combined.

Entering its 31st year, the National Superintendent of the Year® program celebrates the contributions and leadership of public school superintendents. The criterion for the annual award includes leadership in learning, communication, professionalism and community involvement.

The four 2018 National Superintendent of the Year® finalists will be announced in December. The honoree will be named at AASA's National Conference on Education, Feb. 15-17, in Nashville, Tenn. A $10,000 college scholarship will be presented in the name of the recipient to a student in the high school from which the superintendent graduated, or the school now serving the same area.

The 2017 recipient was Matthew Utterback, superintendent of North Clackamas School District in Milwaukie, Ore.

"First Student is honored to partner with AASA, an organization dedicated to raising the voices of our school system leaders and supporting the creation of world-class learning environments," said First Student President Dennis R. Maple. "I am absolutely passionate about K-12 education. This partnership is a great fit, benefiting AASA members, the broader community and most importantly, the five million students we transport each school day."

Throughout its history, First Student has partnered with local school districts to deliver safe, quality and effective student transportation solutions. The organization's approach applies national resources to locally defined priorities, creating a lasting and positive impact in the communities it serves.

"We are pleased to welcome First Student into the AASA family," said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. "First Student is a trusted source in communities from coast to coast. We call our members 'champions for children.' The same can be said for the team members of First Student, who are entrusted with children by families throughout the country."

As the preeminent transportation provider in North America, First Student invests heavily in driver training, safety and technology to deliver a ride that's twice as safe as the industry average.

For more information about First Student, visit www.firststudentinc.com.

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About First Student, Inc.
As the leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. First Student completes five million student journeys each day, moving more passengers than all U.S. airlines combined. With a team of highly-trained drivers and the industry's strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, route optimization and scheduling, maintenance and charter services for 1,100 school district contracts. For more information, please visit firststudentinc.com.

About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA's mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.