Superintendent George Mendoza officially received his award as the 2026 Oregon Superintendent of the Year at the COSA (Coalition of Oregon School Administrators) Winter Conference in January. Mendoza was named in September as the recipient of the award by the Oregon Association of School Executives (OASE). He was selected for his visionary leadership, deep community roots, and unwavering dedication to student achievement.
In his acceptance speech at the conference, Mendoza focused on gratitude. He said he is grateful for his family, friends, colleagues at LGSD, and regional superintendents with whom he works.
“There is no greater positive influence on the trajectory of a school system than an impactful superintendent. That means we must be great. We must inspire. We must collaborate, create shared understanding, and build ownership for academic, personal, and social excellence—especially in hard times,” Mendoza said.
