Birnbohm was chosen for the honor because of her dynamic leadership style that has a strong emphasis on communication.
Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) Superintendent Carol Birnbohm, Ed.D., is one of 21 district leaders across the country named by the National School Public Relations Association as a 2017–18 ‘Superintendent to Watch.’ Birnbohm was chosen for the honor because of her dynamic leadership style that has a strong emphasis on communication.
All superintendents selected for the honor have five or fewer years of experience as a superintendent, yet they have proven that they can effectively engage and inform their school communities with new communication technology tools combined with tried-and-true techniques.
“Dr. Birnbohm has a unique ability to identify and create a vision, garner support from her administrative team and communicate that vision to her stakeholders,” said Jeff Spector, principal of Seneca High School. “She is at her best when communicating with students. She makes it an essential part of her mission to meet with students in each of the schools under her charge. This allows her to both initiate a vision and communicate directly to the students we serve.”
Dr. Birnbohm became superintendent of LRHSD in July 2012 after serving as the district’s assistant superintendent. As superintendent, she leads the district’s four high schools and one alternative program serving approximately 6,800 students, employing 1,100 staff and spanning 324 square miles. She works closely with an 11-member board of education, representing eight municipalities.
Although she is at the helm of one of the largest employers in Burlington County, Birnbohm’s ability to connect and communicate with many district constituents was repeatedly highlighted by the LRHSD administrators who nominated her as a ‘Superintendent to Watch.’
“Dr. Birnbohm makes the most of every opportunity to work hand-in-hand with students, staff, parents and the community to continue to move our schools forward,” said Tony Cattani, principal of Lenape High School.
In addition to her interpersonal communication skills, Birnbohm was also touted in the nomination for embracing new technology. She led the process of launching the LRHSD Mobile App in May of 2015. The App provides a hub for district information that users can access anytime, from anywhere. Its features allow everyone from students to community members to quickly and easily connect with everything from district news, to athletic and activity schedules, to social media.
Birnbohm also operates a Twitter account @cbeducator to provide up-to-date information about what is going on in the district schools, often live tweeting from the many events she attends in a day, retweeting posts about the district and using relevant hashtags. She aims to have a consistent voice on Twitter that is positive, upbeat and celebratory as most of her tweets highlight the accomplishments of students and staff. She uses Twitter to promote the LRHSD brand, connect with LRHSD stakeholders and lead by example as someone who is a consistent cheerleader for the district.
As a National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) 2017–18 ‘Superintendent to Watch,’ Birnbohm will be featured in one of the organization’s national publications and receive a discounted membership to its national conference at the end of this academic year.
“I can’t imagine a superintendent more deserving of recognition, nor one who works harder and smarter for all students,” said LRHSD Assessment, Accountability and Planning Coordinator Justin Smith, Ed.D.
