Central Consolidated School District superintendent, Steve Carlson, welcomes the crowd of guests at the Navajo Nation People’s State of the Nation that took place inside the Shiprock High School Chieftan Pit on Tuesday, Jan. 13. (Alx Lee/Tri-City Record)
Central Consolidated School District superintendent, Steve Carlson, welcomes the crowd of guests at the Navajo Nation People’s State of the Nation that took place inside the Shiprock High School Chieftan Pit on Tuesday, Jan. 13. (Alx Lee/Tri-City Record)Alx Lee

Steve Carlson will continue as the superintendent of Central Consolidated School District after the Board of Education unanimously approved a three-year contract extension with a vote of 5-0 during a work board session meeting on June 11.

According to Board President Gary Montoya, district scores and student outcomes are improving under the leadership of Carlson.

“Granted, there is still a lot of work to be done, but we believe the superintendent is committed to seeing this progress through – which is why the board voted to extend his contract for three years,” he said.

Montoya said it is also worth noting that this is the first time in over 20 years that the district has a superintendent serving for this length of time.

“To him, to his staff, and to the district as a whole, we believe that consistency is one of the most important assets the board can provide to this district and its leadership,” said Montoya.

Rashinda Billie, center, receives the Milken Award of $25,000 from the Milken Family Foundation on Wednesday at Kirtland Elementary. Also pictured, from left: Kirtland Elementary School Principal Jay Boushee, Milken Vice President Jennifer Fuller, state Public Education Department Deputy Secretary Candace Costillo and Central Consolidated Superintendent Steve Carlson. Brad Ryan/Special to the Tri-City Record, File
Rashinda Billie, center, receives the Milken Award of $25,000 from the Milken Family Foundation on Wednesday at Kirtland Elementary. Also pictured, from left: Kirtland Elementary School Principal Jay Boushee, Milken Vice President Jennifer Fuller, state Public Education Department Deputy Secretary Candace Costillo and Central Consolidated Superintendent Steve Carlson. Brad Ryan/Special to the Tri-City Record, File

According to the district, Carlson brings 26 years of educational leadership experience with 17 years as a principal at Grace B. Wilson Elementary and Judy Nelson Elementary.

Carlson served as a math teacher at Chinle High School and Kirtland Central High School, and served as an assistant principal at Mesa Alta Junior High School. He holds a master’s degree in Educational Administration from New Mexico State University.

“I am honored that CCSD’s board of education has entrusted me with the critical task of continuing to lead our district,” Carlson said. “My administration will continue to build on our belief that CCSD students can perform at or above the level of any student in New Mexico. Our teachers, staff and families have always known what our students are capable of, and we intend to prove it.”