Dr. Sarah Marandos, Assistant Superintendent for the Pelham School District, has been selected as 2026 Outstanding Service Award recipient. (Photo Courtesy Pelham School District)
The title “Assistant Superintendent” barely covers Dr. Sarah Marandos’s responsibilities in the Pelham School District.
Dr. Marandos is responsible for district-level curriculum, assessment, instruction, and professional learning, and also serves as Middle School Assistant Principal. She’s also taken on interim roles as Director of Technology and Dean of Students due to vacancies.
She’s led the district’s transition through COVID-19, re-envisioned the Middle School and High School schedules, and works with regional and statewide groups to improve teaching and learning for all children.
She even covers teacher absences and fills in on lunch duty.
For her tireless efforts to ensure quality education for all children, the New Hampshire School Administrators Association (NHSAA) has selected Dr. Marandos as its 2026 Outstanding Service Award recipient.
The award is given to an outstanding educational leader who is not a Superintendent of Schools, who works to improve district educational programs and/or services, contributes to workplace climate and high morale, anticipates emerging problems and acts to resolve them, and demonstrates professional growth and involvement.
Pelham colleagues who nominated Dr. Marandos cited her quiet leadership and ability to bring out the best in students, staff and colleagues.
Superintendent Dr. Chip McGee wrote that Dr. Marandos is responsible for implementing McKinney-Vento Act programs for homeless students and embraces the role with warmth and compassion.
“When we have students with unreliable housing, Sarah is responsible for ensuring there is no disruption to their education,” Dr. McGee wrote. “For Sarah, that means delivering food baskets, gas cards, and clean clothes to their homes, wherever and whatever they might be. It means welcoming the students and their parents into school, personally. The wellspring of Sarah’s commitment to children knows no bounds.”
Dr. Marandos began her career in education in the Nashua School District, where she served as a Social Studies teacher and Systems Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. She joined the Pelham School District in July 2017, and has served as Assistant Superintendent since July 2021.
She has served as an Adjunct Professor at Rivier University and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate & Doctoral Programs at Southern New Hampshire University.
Dr. Jeanna Wagner, Instructional Coach/Digital Learning Specialist in the Pelham School District, shared that Dr. Marandos has reimagined professional learning, creating a robust schedule of offerings that encourages best practices and empowers teachers to teach and learn from one another.
Pelham’s Director of Student Services, Kimberly Noyes, added that Dr. Marandos’s thoughtful approach embraces change while respecting those who may be affected by those decisions.
“Students of all learning abilities and staff members with all talents are brought together to pursue high-quality learning without limits,” Noyes wrote. “Dr. Maranson leads with celebration and inspiration.”
Dr. Marandos will be recognized at the annual NHSAA conference in Bretton Woods in June.
NHSAA Executive Director, Dr. Mark MacLean noted, “Dr. Marandos is an exceptional education leader. Her innovative and inspiring work evolving learning and teaching in Pelham exemplifies the collaborations and connections happening throughout New Hampshire. Student opportunities prosper with skilled leaders like Dr. Marandos. The NHSAA is thrilled to honor her work through the Outstanding Service Award.”
For more information on NHSAA, click here.
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