Submitted photo by Fritz Busch Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) Superintendent Dr. Jeff Horton was recognized as a Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) Regional Administrator of Excellence March 15 at MASA annual conference at the Minneapolis Marriott NW Brooklyn Park.

GIBBON — Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Horton was recognized as a Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) Regional Administrator of Excellence March 15.

Horton received the award from St. Paul Public Schools Supt. Dr. Joe Gothard and MASA Executive Director Deb Hinton at the MASA Spring Conference at the Minneapolis Marriott N.W./Brooklyn Park.

Awardees represent a willingness to risk, possess strong communications skills, are progressive change agents and have high expectations of themselves and others.

“This award is truly an honor and a reflection of the students, staff and community that I am able to work with every day,” said Horton.

“We are passionate about providing a world class education to every student in our schools because that is what these kids deserve,” he added.

“Whether it is an urban or rural area, students and their families deserve to have the same educational opportunities, and I am proud of the work we have done,” he said.

Horton said the school district leadership team, staff, families and community members of GFW have really shown what it means to collaborate to support students.

“Recognition like this are a great reinforcement that the work we are doing is making an impact and that our district can be an example of future-focused decision making,” said Horton.

Horton became the GFW superintendent in July 2020 when it was facing of number of challenges including statutory operating debt (SOD), an upcoming operating levy election, and facility challenges.

Since then, the district exited SOD with a stable, sustainable budget and added more than 100 new student opportunities including the area’s only two-way, dual language immersion program for kindergarten students and their families this school year.

The 50/50 dual language immersion program means half of the day is taught in English and the other half is taught in Spanish.

“Research shows that students participating in a two-way dual immersion program outperform their peers who participate in an English only program,” Horton said.

He added that the school district has added more than 100 course offerings including expanded computer science courses, a school farm and more than 50 college credit opportunities for students.

With support of 63% of voters last April, the school district is preparing to break ground on a new PreK-12 facility set to open in the fall of 2025.