Fort Osage Superintendent Jason Snodgrass was named Missouri’s superintendent of the year, but the seventh-year leader sees the award as an honor for the entire district.

“This recognition is truly a reflection of all of the good work taking place in our classrooms,” he said in a statement published by the Missouri Association of School Administrators.

MASA announced Snodgrass’ honor at its annual fall conference with the Missouri School Boards’ Association Nov. 5 at the Kansas City Convention Center.

Snodgrass has shown outstanding leadership in Fort Osage and is a trusted colleague in the Kansas City area, MASA Executive Director Doug Hayter said in a written statement, in large part because of the commitment he has made for every student he serves.

“Jason has always seen himself as a teacher and coach first,” Hayter said. “And in those roles he placed the highest value on the personal growth of each student with whom he worked. He has taken that same philosophy into his current role as the leader of his district.”

The work goes on, Snodgrass said.

“As a district,” he said. “ We have five core values: Integrity, Belonging, Collaboration, Achievement and Accountability. It is up to all of us to assure those values are being met, and as the superintendent, I need to make sure we stay focused to meet the needs of our young people.”