The Texas Education Agency has appointed Peter Licata as the superintendent to lead the state’s takeover of the Fort Worth Independent School District. Licata capped off a year leading Broward County Public Schools in 2024 and was previously an administrator in The School District of Palm Beach County.
The state took control of the district last fall, citing, among other issues, the large number of students not performing at grade level.
Elsewhere, a diverse group of administrators is getting their first chances at the superintendency. In Missouri, Cassandra Suggs, an assistant superintendent for the Affton School District, was named leader of the School District of Washington, where she began her teaching career.
Acting leader Noha Abdel-Hady was promoted to superintendent of Windsor Public Schools in Connecticut. Another interim leader, Mitchell Ball, was promoted to superintendent of the Gates Chili Central School District in New York. Huntington County Community Schools in Indiana also promoted its interim superintendent, Chuck Brimbury, to the top spot.
New York’s Moravia Central School District promoted Deputy Superintendent Christopher R. Leahey to superintendent. Effingham Unit #40 Schools in Illinois promoted Assistant Superintendent Kelsey Baker to superintendent.
In Kansas, Katie Collier will take the helm of the Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 after serving as deputy superintendent of the Blue Valley Schools. In Ohio, Michael J. Acomb, the director of business and personnel for Solon City Schools, was named superintendent of Perrysburg Schools.
In Pennsylvania, Joanna Wexler, now the assistant superintendent at the Great Valley School District, was chosen to lead the Central Bucks School District.
More new hires:
- John Connolly, Madison Public Schools (New Jersey)
- Bill Eagle, Entiat School District (Washington)
- Jesse Hamilton, York Central School District (New York)
- Kevin McPeek, Branchburg Township School District (New Jersey)
- Michelle Paul, Munising Public Schools (Michigan)
- Danny Pratt, Glendale School District 77 (Oregon)
- Dirk Ribbens, Wrightstown Community School District (Wisconsin)
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