Des Moines Public Schools has a new superintendent. Iowa’s largest district promoted Associate Superintendent Matt Smith to the top spot.
Smith joined Des Moines Public Schools as a principal in 2010 and later became chief of schools. He has twice served as interim superintendent and guided the district through “some of its most challenging chapters while never losing sight of the community’s vision for the future of its schools,” the school board said in its announcement.
Smith helped spearhead the district’s Reimagining Education initiative to create more modern learning environments, comprehensive CTE programs and innovative academic pathways, the school board noted.
Georgia’s DeKalb County School District also elevated its interim leader, Norman Sauce III, who previously served as chief of student services and area superintendent for high schools. Sauce has also been an administrator in the Griffin-Spalding County School System and Fulton County Schools.
Superintendents finding new homes include Paul Haughey, who is moving from the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District in Massachusetts to Killingly Public Schools in Connecticut. Mark Whelton, who previously led the Bridgeport-Spaulding Community School District, will take the helm of Clintondale Community Schools in Michigan.
In New York, Christopher Barnard, former superintendent of the Manchester-Shortsville and Dundee central school districts, will lead Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES.
A large group of female leaders is ascending to the superintendency. Bensalem Township School District in Pennsylvania promoted interim superintendent Victoria Velazquez, who has spent 12 years in the district.
In North Carolina, Buncombe County Schools elevated another interim leader, Jennifer Reed, to superintendent. Thomasville City Schools picked Shayla Savage as its new leader. Savage has been chief student services officer for Iredell-Statesville Schools since 2023.
In Indiana, Assistant Superintendent Kathryn Reckard was named the next superintendent of Indiana’s Lafayette School Corporation. Louisiana’s Iberville Parish School District appointed Rebecca Johnson to superintendent.
Upland Unified School District in California selected Chief Academic Officer Shinay Bowman to serve as its next superintendent. And in Wisconsin, the School District of Janesville promoted Director of Learning and Innovation Allison DeGraaf, who has been with the district for 35 years.
More new hires
- Daniel Clara, School District of Borough of Morrisville (Pennsylvania)
- Ed Diolazo, Pleasanton Unified School District (California)
- Jeremy Madden, Lawrence County Schools (Alabama)
- Timothy Mitzel, Dover Area School District (Pennsylvania)
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