Award renamed in honor of KSDE's deputy commissioner of fiscal and administrative services

Craig Neuenswander, Kansas State Department of Education's (KSDE) School Finance team director, received the Dale Dennis Distinguished Service Award from the Kansas Association of School Business Officials (KASBO) on Friday, April 20, at the association's annual meeting in Overland Park. 

About 250 school business officials attended the meeting.

This is the 32nd year for the award, which honors people for their outstanding contributions to education in Kansas. The KASBO selection committee selected Neuenswander for his "many years of dedicated service to children in school districts across the state," a news release from KASBO said.

Neuenswander began his work at KSDE because it gave him an opportunity to work with Dale Dennis, who has been an employee of the state of Kansas for more than 50 years. Dennis has served at KSDE since October 1967 and currently serves as KSDE's deputy commissioner of fiscal and administrative services.

KASBO renamed the award this year in honor of Dennis. The first Distinguished Service Award was given to Dennis in 1986.

"He has dedicated his life to improving the educational opportunities for all Kansas students by providing expert financial guidance to superintendents and school business officials," KASBO stated in a news release about the award.