As awards go, Missouri Superintendent of the Year is a meaningful one. This year it has been awarded to a Southwest Missouri superintendent.

Ron Lankford, superintendent of Webb City schools, has been named Missouri 2010 Superintendent of the Year by the Missouri Association of School Administrators.

We are only surprised that the award has been this long coming.

Lankford, in his 37th year in education and his 33rd year with the Webb City School District, has been superintendent since July 1998. He has also served as an associate superintendent, high school principal and junior high school principal.

Certainly we haven’t always agreed with some policies instituted by Lankford at the school. However, we have always found Lankford accessible and forthright. He is not one to hide behind “no comment.”

Lankford also understands school funding and provides explanations in easy terms for the residents of his district. We believe that’s one of the reasons his district has been successful in passing bond issues.

Lankford is chairman of the Globe’s All-Area Academic Team committee, and was the first in the state of Missouri to introduce the idea of an academic team.

In addition to an award and a commemorative ring, Lankford received a $500 scholarship to be given to a Webb City student.

Lankford says the honor also belongs to Webb City, and that awards such as Superintendent of the Year reflect on members of his school board, his administration, his faculty and his students.

Recognizing the value of community, in our view, is why Lankford has succeeded as a superintendent.

Congratulations.