Officials with the for-profit group, which covers K-12 schools nationwide for its school administration members, cited Styles efforts since he joined Middletown Schools in 2017 for reforming the long-time struggling district.
“Throughout the year, the K-12 Dive keeps tabs on administrators we’ve talked to who we feel are doing impressive things in their schools or districts,” said the group’s Education Editor Roger Riddell.
“This year, we focused particularly on a theme of leadership in a time of crisis. Marlon stuck out to us for his commitment to digital equity - which he has taken to a national stage in advocating for improvements to home connectivity for students,” said Riddell.
Middletown Schools was one of the first in the region to decide early to start the school year in all remote, at-home learning as a precaution against the coronavirus.
The K-12 Dive award, which has been in existence since 2016, is the first for an Ohio superintendent, he said.
Styles said the award is more about the reform efforts of teachers and staffers in the 6,300-student district working to change things for the better.
“This award celebrates every single (Middletown) Middie for standing united for our students and community,” said Styles.
Chris Urso, president of the Middletown Board of Education, said Styles recognition is deserved.
“Marlon has been instrumental in transforming the climate of Middletown Schools,” said Urso.
“He has stimulated fresh ideas that have been powerful in progressing curriculum and how our teachers engage students. His commitment to public education has made him a leader and spokesperson regionally, statewide and nationally,” he said referring to Styles high-profile in recent years resulting in other awards and an invitation to testify before Congressional leaders earlier this year on the digital divide.
In 2017 Styles was among the national winners of the Center for Digital Education’s “Top 30 Technologists, Transformers and Trailblazers” for his work in modernizing the city schools via digital learning technology.
And last year the district was honored as one of three school systems nationally for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Distinguished District Award.
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