HARRISBURG, PA — Dr. John Sanville, the longtime Unionville-Chadds Ford superintendent known for steering one of Pennsylvania’s top-performing districts through sweeping change and unprecedented challenges, has been awarded the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators’ Leadership in Public Education Award — and immediately donated the $1,000 prize to student scholarships.
Sanville, who now serves as Managing Director for K-12 Education at CRA | Admired Leadership, received the honor November 13 during PASA’s annual conference. He was selected from a wide field of nominations submitted by colleagues, former students, and education leaders statewide.
Dr. Sherri Smith, PASA’s executive director, praised Sanville for shaping school culture with what she described as a “calm, positive, and confident approach,” noting that he has become a trusted mentor and resource for educational leaders across Pennsylvania.
During more than 14 years as superintendent — and nearly two decades overall at Unionville-Chadds Ford — Sanville led the district through major academic, organizational, and cultural transformations. His tenure included the development of Portrait of a Graduate and Portrait of an Educator frameworks, expansions of play-based full-day kindergarten, later secondary start times, and restorative discipline practices. Under his leadership, the district was named School District of the Decade by the Pittsburgh Business Times.
Colleagues credited him with securing a major Longwood Foundation grant to launch the kindergarten program, marking the foundation’s first direct investment in a public school district. Dr. George F. Fiore, executive director of the Chester County Intermediate Unit, said Sanville’s work “helped shape how educators across Pennsylvania think, grow, and serve.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools nationwide, Sanville guided Unionville-Chadds Ford’s transition to remote instruction without missing a single day of learning — a benchmark few districts met.
Known as a developer of leaders, Sanville built leadership pathways for teachers, board members, administrators, and students, many of whom now serve as superintendents or assistant superintendents across the Commonwealth. Brian Sanker of PLGIT, which sponsors the award, said Sanville “invests deeply in others” and models ethical, student-centered leadership.
Sanville’s statewide influence grew during his term as PASA president, where he helped guide the organization through a major leadership transition and continued advocating for strong public education policy and superintendent development.
His commitment to leadership is also reflected in his academic work — his doctoral dissertation examined principal emotional intelligence and school climate — and in his partnership with Admired Leadership, through which he brings research-based leadership development to educators.
Since retiring from Unionville-Chadds Ford in July, Sanville has continued consulting in education, describing the shift as “trading snow day decisions for helping other educational leaders navigate their own storms.”
He donated his award prize to the UCF Community Scholarship Fund, which supports graduating Unionville High School seniors. Last year, eight students each received $1,000 scholarships.
“This donation ensures that the recognition I’ve received will directly benefit the students and community I was privileged to serve,” Sanville said.
He accepted the award alongside his wife, Debbie, as well as former and current Unionville-Chadds Ford board members and numerous education leaders who worked with him over the course of his career.
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