Tom Boasberg, former superintendent of Denver Public Schools (DPS), has been appointed the thirteenth superintendent of Singapore American School (SAS) by the school’s board of governors.
He will take office on 1 July 2019 and succeed Dr Chip Kimball who steps down after seven years in the role, one of the longest tenures in the school’s 62-year history.
Boasberg joins SAS after nearly 10 years as superintendent of the DPS system. He brings to SAS experience leading a school system of over 92,000 students, 10,000 employees, and a US$1 billion annual budget.
Boasberg also brings extensive experience living and working in Asia and South America, where he learned to speak Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) and Spanish.
“Under Tom Boasberg's leadership for the past decade, Denver Public Schools has made remarkable academic progress and has become one of the most innovative school districts in the country,” said Former US Secretary of Education John King. “For many school districts throughout the country, Denver's innovative and collaborative approaches serve as a valuable model.”
Boasberg joined the DPS system in 2007, serving first as chief operating officer and then was unanimously appointed to become the superintendent when his predecessor joined the US Senate.
His accomplishments in leading the district are numerous. DPS evolved from having the lowest rate of academic growth in Colorado to the highest among major school districts, and the number of DPS graduates attending college nearly doubled during his tenure. With dramatic improvements in the schools, DPS showed the fastest enrolment growth over the last decade among public schools in any major US city.
Under his direction, DPS developed what is now the largest teacher leadership development program in the country. He sought to spur creativity and innovation among DPS educators, oversaw the creation of over 75 new schools and made some difficult leadership decisions – including the closure and replacement of 30 underperforming schools.
“I am very excited about and grateful for the opportunity to serve as SAS’s next leader,” Boasberg said. “SAS is an international leader in its innovative efforts to personalise students’ learning experiences, to focus on students’ personal growth, and to offer an exemplary American education that also offers an international perspective.
“I am excited to work with such a talented, diverse group of students and to help each and every student reach their full potential.”
Boasberg’s selection comes at the end of a robust process during which the SAS faculty and school board, assisted by Spencer Stuart, met with a rich pool of global candidates.