Educator of the Year Honored at Grad Celebration

by Victoria Stearns, Public Relations Writer – May 3, 2016

Denny Morrison, superintendent of Xenia Community Schools, will be recognized by Cedarville on May 6.

Cedarville University’s School of Education will present the inaugural Excellent Educator of the Year Award to Denny Morrison, superintendent of Xenia Community Schools, during its graduation celebration at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 6, in the DeVries Theatre. 

At the ceremony, Morrison will serve as the motivational speaker to this year’s class of 56 graduates from the school of education.

The award recognizes outstanding efforts in education by those who have helped further the mission of Cedarville’s school of education. He is being recognized for his contributions and longtime service to local education.

Morrison has served as an educator for more than 40 years, beginning his career as a Spanish teacher at Marian Catholic High School in 1973.

“There are many people who contribute to the success of training future teachers,” said Jeremy Ervin, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education. “We wanted to create a way to recognize those who have had a vital part in helping to improve current educational practices, to advance and fulfill the Cedarville school of education’s mission of preparing future educators, and Denny is one of those people.”

Morrison has been the superintendent of Xenia Community Schools since 2014 after serving seven years as the superintendent at Beavercreek City Schools. Morrison was also the superintendent of Mad River Local Schools in Dayton, Ohio, where he helped raise the academic profile of a district that had been given an academic emergency rating prior to his arrival.

“I am honored to receive this award,” said Morrison. “Cedarville University is well known for producing high-quality educators. I am fortunate to be surrounded by so many wonderful people here in Xenia and I believe that, due to our team approach, many good things happen.”

He also served as the principal at Mad River Middle School, which was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a National School of Excellence in 1994, 1995, and 1996.

Morrison earned his bachelor's degree and superintendent certificate from the University of Dayton and holds a master's degree in from Ashland University.  In 2015, Morrison received the Exemplary Educational Leadership Award from the Ohio Superintendent’s Association.

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,711 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu