Gabriel “Gabe” Trujillo, now the superintendent of the Nacogdoches Independent School District in Texas, was named the lone finalist to become the next leader of Grand Prairie ISD in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs. Trujillo, an Air Force veteran, previously served as a director of secondary education, chief of schools and area superintendent at Grand Prairie ISD.
The Rochester City School District in New York selected Eric Jay Rosser as its next superintendent. Rosser most recently served as superintendent of the Poughkeepsie City School District and associate superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools.
In South Dakota, Tonia Warzecha will take the helm at the Tea Area School District after leading the Dakota Valley School District for four years. Warzecha was previously the Tea Area School District’s director of curriculum and instruction and an assistant principal.’
Jeanice Kerr Swift, the former superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan, was promoted from interim superintendent to Lawrence Public Schools in Kansas. She previously served Colorado Springs School District 11 as assistant superintendent, teaching and learning executive director, principal, assistant principal and teacher coach.
In Arizona, Louis Laffitte, a Glendale Elementary School District #40 administrator and former superintendent of Salt River Schools, was chosen to lead Littleton Elementary School District #65.
Texas’ Ector Independent School District has promoted its former chief of schools, Keeley Boyer from interim to superintendent. North Carolina’s Warren County Schools has promoted interim leader Carol Montague-Davis to superintendent. Montague-Davis previously served as an administrator in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.
Russell Johnston, acting commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Education, was selected as the next superintendent of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District in Pennsylvania. Johnston served as superintendent of West Springfield Public Schools in Massachusetts from 2010 to 2014.
More new hires
- Christopher Barnes, New Hanover County Schools (North Carolina)
- Adam Bronstein, Somers Central School District (New York)
- Victoir T. Cahoon, Capital School District (Delaware)
- Steve Drummond, Commerce ISD (Texas)
- Tim Felderman, Hampton-Dumont Community Schools (Iowa)
- Jeff Klein, Columbia Public Schools (Missouri)
- Jon Konen, Stevensville Public Schools (Montana)
- Jeffrey Matzner, Gettysburg Area School District (Pennsylvania)
- Shawn McCreary, Central Valley School District (Pennsylvania)
- Michael Miller, Galway Central School District (New York)
- Zeb Prothro, Beebe School District (Arkansas)
- David Pyle, Carl Junction Schools (Missouri)
- Dane Richardson, Liberal USD 480 (Kansas)
- Marc Schaffer, Community High School District 128 (Illinois)
- Adham Schirg, Rocky River City School District (Ohio)
- Tim Sperber, Lewiston School District (Idaho)
- Joshua St. John, Southwest Allen County Schools (Indiana)
- Cory Steiner, Fargo Public Schools (North Dakota)
- Lyndel Whittle, Clark County R-1 School District (Missouri)
- Kimberly Woolf, Lyndon USD 421 (Kansas)
- Jeff Young, Vanlue Local School District (Ohio)
Superintendents on the move: March 3
Interim superintendent Karen Molinar was named the lone finalist to lead Texas’ Fort Worth Independent School District. Molinar was Fort Worth’s deputy superintendent from 2020 to 2023 and also served as the district’s chief of staff, chief of elementary leadership and assistant superintendent.
Also in Texas, Gonzales ISD selected Dana Arreola as the sole finalist for superintendent. Arreola is the superintendent of Bessemer City Schools in Alabama and has also served as executive director of leadership development, assistant superintendent/school support officer, principal, assistant principal, literacy coach and teacher.
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Executive Director Natalyn Gibbs has been chosen as the next superintendent of Erie’s Public Schools in Pennsylvania. Gibbs has more than 20 years of experience in urban education, having also been an assistant principal, a principal and an executive director of operations.
St. Louis Public Schools made its interim, Millicent Borishade, its permanent superintendent, according to local news reports. Borishade has also served as the district’s chief of schools and deputy superintendent since 2024.
Two leaders are moving into shared superintendencies. Megan Christiansen, superintendent of the Teton School District in Idaho, is taking the helm at the Davis County and Moulton-Udell Community School Districts in Iowa. In Illinois, Corey Tafoya, superintendent of Harvard Community Unit School District 50, will lead Mundelein High School District 120 and Mundelein Elementary District 75.
Other superintendents who have found new homes include Kansas’ Heath Hogan, who is moving to Salina Public Schools from Smoky Valley USD 400. Grant Hegenauer, superintendent of Frankenmuth Public School District in Michigan, was chosen to lead Bay City Public Schools.
The Derry Cooperative School District in New Hampshire has selected its next superintendent, Michael Flynn, who now leads the Hopkinton School District. In Ohio, Superintendent Charles Smialek will transition to the Pickerington Local School District from Parma City Schools.
In Mississippi, Mitchell Shears is moving from higher education into the superintendency. Shears, the associate vice president for student success at Jackson State University and formerly an academic dean at Hinds Community College, was chosen to lead Hinds County School District. In New Mexico, Los Lunas Public Schools promoted acting superintendent and longtime administrator Susan Chavez to superintendent.
More new hires
- Andrew Armstead, Estherville Lincoln Community School District (Iowa)
- Allen Berg, GFW Public Schools (Minnesota)
- Kyle Colunio, South Seneca Central School District (New York)
- Aron Dody, USD 284 Chase County (Kansas)
- Courtney Frie, Plainview-Elgin-Millville Community Schools (Minnesota)
- John Muldoon, Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District (Vermont)
- Jacquelyn Ramsay-Tolman, Orleans Central Supervisory Union (Vermont)
- David Warvel, Fayette County Schools (West Virginia)
- Kristin Whitley, Dufur School District (Oregon)
- Micah Williams, South Vermillion Community School Corporation (Indiana)
Superintendents on the move: Feb. 19
It’s the time of year when more superintendents are on the move. The past weeks have seen some familiar names and first-timers stepping into new leadership positions.
Brenda Cassellius, former superintendent of Boston Public Schools, will become Milwaukee Public Schools’ next leader. Cassellius, who steered Boston Public Schools during the pandemic, previously served as Minnesota’s commissioner of education for eight years and superintendent of the East Metro Integration District.
Veteran superintendent Chris Nail will helm Arkansas’ Benton School District. Nail has been superintendent of the Beebe School District for seven years and previously led the Rose Bud School District.
Erik Smith has been named joint superintendent of the New Hampton and Turkey Valley community school districts in Iowa. Smith currently serves as superintendent and high school principal at the AGWSR Community School District.
Selma City Schools in Alabama selected David Scott as its new superintendent. Scott currently serves as the Tuscaloosa County School System’s director of curriculum and instruction. Wisconsin’s Fond du Lac School District has promoted Matt Steinbarth, its chief academic officer and a 25-year employee, to superintendent.
In Massachusetts, Michelle McKeon has been appointed superintendent of Mansfield Public Schools. McKeon is the assistant superintendent at North Attleborough Public Schools. In Ohio, Assistant Superintendent Kevin Herman has been promoted to superintendent of Anthony Wayne Local Schools.
Superintendents on the move: Feb. 12
Several long-serving superintendents and female leaders are on the move to new districts so far this month.
Superintendents Deidre Parish and Jennifer Nebelsick Lowery fall into both categories. Parish is the lone finalist to become the next superintendent of the Amarillo Independent School District in Texas. Parish is now superintendent of Sweetwater ISD and previously led Darrouzett ISD. She has also been an administrator in Decatur ISD and Frisco ISD.
Lowery is moving on from leading the Tea Area School District for more than a decade to take the helm of the Harrisburg School District in July. Among her educational endeavors, she has researched early childhood education and its impact on reading proficiency.
District Administration is maintaining a running list of new hires and promotions. Special focus is given to sitting superintendents transferring to new posts, high-profile districts, notable minority hires and when the district provides ample information on the hire.
The Kennewick School District in Washington announced that Lance Hansen will become its next superintendent. Hansen, named Idaho’s 2025 superintendent of the year, has been the superintendent of Lewiston Independent School District #1 for the past four years.
In Missouri, Branson Public Schools has promoted assistant superintendent/CFO Nate Moore to superintendent. Moore was superintendent of the Mansfield R-IV School District from 2012 to 2020. In West Virginia, Kanawha County Schools is also elevating its deputy, Paula Potter, to superintendent. Potter has vast experience as an employee and leader within the district.
The Dallas County R-1 School District is promoting Deputy Superintendent Laura O’Ouinn to its top post with Superintendent Tim Ryan planning to retire. O’Quinn served previously as an elementary principal in the Marshfield School District and as an assistant superintendent in the Lebanon School District.
Christopher Prososki, superintendent at Southern Public Schools in Nebraska, has been selected as the next leader of Hastings Public Schools in the same state. He will replace Jeff Schneider, who is retiring this summer after 31 years with the district and six as superintendent.
In New York, Superintendent Joseph D’Apice has been chosen to lead the New Hartford Central School District. D’Apice has been superintendent of the Mount Markham Central School District since 2020. Superintendent Aaron Wolfe is headed to the Wellsville Central School District after leading the Panama Central School District since 2022.
Superintendent Ryan Linning is moving on to Peru Elementary School District 124 in Illinois after leading Dimmick CCSD 175 for 17 years. In Iowa, the Sioux City Community School District picked Juan Córdova as its new leader. Córdova is the assistant superintendent of instruction for Hazelwood School District in Missouri.
More new hires
- Christopher M. Barnes, Onslow County Schools (North Carolina)
- Dustin Bromley, Splendora ISD (Texas)
- Michele Connor, Mashpee Public Schools (Massachusetts)
- Greg Snyder, Sidney City Schools (Ohio)
- Joshua St. John, Southwest Allen County Schools (Indiana)
Superintendents on the move: Jan 31
Another wave of new hires rolled through K12 over the last two weeks as districts installed veteran leaders and more than a dozen first-time superintendents.
Among the first-time superintendents is Megan Conaway, who has been promoted from principal to superintendent of New York’s Trumansburg Central School District. At Charles O. Dickerson High School in Trumansburg, she strengthened community connections, prioritized college and career readiness, and provided strong instructional leadership, the district noted.
Also in New York, Elizabeth Doyle has been named superintendent of Greenport Union Free School District. Doyle is the assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and accountability for South Country Central School District.
In Utah, Lyndsay Huntsman was selected as the next Park City School District superintendent. In 13 years with the district, she has built positive relationships with students, staff and families and launched innovative programs focused on learner growth and success.
Superintendent Ritchie Kracht will take the helm at Missouri’s Hannibal Public Schools on July 1 after leading Clark County R-1 Schools in the same state for 19 years. At Clark County, Kracht developed a 30-year facilities plan, passed two bond measures and built an early childhood center.
The Henderson Independent School District in Texas has tapped its next leader, Brian Bowman, now Diboll ISD’s superintendent. At Diboll, Bowman managed a $20 million budget, secured major grants to enhance infrastructure and programming, and implemented initiatives that improved student outcomes.
In Oklahoma, Superintendent Keith Sinor will move to Yukon Public Schools after leading Tuttle Public Schools for five years.
More new hires
- Christopher Barnes, New Hanover County Schools (North Carolina)
- Glenn Brand, Nauset Regional School District (Massachusetts)
- Matthew Cascio, North Boone School District #200 (Illinois)
- Amy Chafin, Buford City Schools (Georgia)
- Ann Forrest, Contoocook Valley School District (New Hampshire)
- Patrik Franklin, Habersham County Schools (Georgia)
- Tony Hiatt, Northwood-Kensett Community School District/St. Ansgar Community School District (Iowa)
- Jennifer Kloczko, Gold Oak Union School District (California)
- Randy Hunter, Millard School District (Utah)
- Terry McCarty, Garden City Public Schools (Kansas)
- Connie Sanchez, Wharton Borough Public Schools (New Jersey)
- Frank Schill, Wrenshall School District (Minnesota)
- Jamie Skjeveland, Montevideo Public Schools (Minnesota)
Superintendents on the move: Jan. 22
More than a dozen superintendents were on the move in the last few weeks as veteran K12 leaders and first-timers were hired by school districts from coast to coast. The year has already been a busy one for school boards filling their district’s top leadership post.
Pennsylvania was the most active state for superintendent hiring. Two-time superintendent Donald L. MacFann is the new leader of Pennsylvania’s McKeesport Area School District. MacFann previously led the East Allegheny Area School District and Bethlehem-Center School District and has also worked in the Clairton Area School District.
Also in Pennsylvania, Superintendent Frank Ranelli is moving to the Lower Merion School District from New Jersey’s Piscataway Township Schools. In Piscataway, he is credited with expanding supports for student mental health and social-emotional learning and creating new post-graduation pathways.
The Woodland Hills School District near Pittsburgh has picked Wilkinsburg School District Superintendent Joe Maluchnik as its next leader. The Boyertown Area School District promoted substitute assistant superintendent Scott Davidheiser to the top spot. Davidheiser served as superintendent at the Lower Moreland Township School District for nearly six years.
Floyd County Schools’ new superintendent is Tonya Williams, who previously served as the Kentucky district’s chief academic officer. Chesterfield County Schools in Virginia has elevated interim superintendent John Murray to the permanent role. Murray was previously deputy superintendent and also graduated from the district.
In Texas, acting and interim superintendent Roger Brown has been promoted to lead Humble ISD in the Houston suburbs. Mercedes ISD, near the U.S.-Mexico border, named Benjamin Clinton its next superintendent. Clinton is currently the deputy superintendent for Raymondville ISD.
More new hires:
- Amy Anderson, Ellwood City Area School District (Pennsylvania)
- Andrew Bake, Ashwaubenon School District (Wisconsin)
- Mike Blackerby, Glynn County Schools (Georgia)
- Michael Byrd, Cabot School District (Arkansas)
- Nathan Gibbs, Wilcox County Schools (Georgia)
- Michael LaSusa, Princeton Public Schools (New Jersey)
- Brett Thompson, Camdenton R-III School District (Missouri)
- Jessica Watson, Thomaston-Upson Schools (Georgia)
- Joshua Weaver, Grove City Area School District (Pennsylvania)
Superintendents on the move: Jan. 10
Hiring of superintendents continued briskly through the new year with several noteworthy leaders on the move.
Stacie Stanley, now superintendent of Edina Public Schools, was chosen to lead Minnesota’s second-largest district, Saint Paul Public Schools. At Edina, she is credited with accelerating student achievement across all demographic groups and implementing a comprehensive literacy plan. She previously was an administrator in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, Roseville Area Schools and East Metro Integration District.
Vermont’s Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union has promoted interim superintendent Rene Sanchez to the permanent role. Sanchez previously served as superintendent of the Champlain Valley School District, assistant superintendent of operations in South Bend Community School Corporation in Indiana, and as a secondary principal in Houston and Austin, Texas.
Interim leader Markay L. Winston has been promoted to superintendent of Indiana’s Monroe County Community School Corporation. Winston has been with the district for seven years and previously served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She also held central office positions in Cincinnati and Chicago public schools.
In Missouri, Webster Groves School District named Jana Parker its new superintendent. Parker is currently serving as executive director of curriculum and instruction at Highline Public Schools.
James Nold joined South Dakota’s Sioux Falls School District in 1995 as a math teacher and coach, and will take the helm as superintendent in July. He has been assistant superintendent of administrative services for the past nine years.
South Carolina’s Horry County Schools selected Clifford Jones to become superintendent next month. Jones has spent his 23-year education career at Fulton County Schools in Georgia.
More new hires:
- Lilly Boron, Haines Borough School District (Alaska)
- Marlon Howard, Trotwood-Madison City Schools (Ohio)
- Amy Korus, Whitko Community Schools (Indiana)
- Elyse Mengarelli, Mabton School District (Washington)
Superintendents on the move: Jan. 2
Superintendents were on the move right through the end of the year.
Natasha Baker takes the helm as superintendent of the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District in California on Jan. 1. She was most recently the chief academic officer in Fresno USD and previously served as the superintendent for Banning USD.
Melissa Schneider will become superintendent of Missouri’s Parkway Schools on July 1. She is currently assistant superintendent of learning services at the Thompson School District in Colorado.
Nyack Public Schools in New York has promoted interim superintendent Lisette Ruiz-Giovinazzi to the full-term position. Before becoming the interim, she had been the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction since 2022.
In June, Judith Campbell will become superintendent of Township High School District 211, the largest high school district in Illinois. Campbell is now deputy superintendent of Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools.
More new hires
- Ryan Bowman, Wendell School District (Idaho)
- Rashad Javed Rana, Monte Alto ISD (Texas)
Superintendents on the move: Dec. 11
Superintendents, like many others in the workforce, are often on the move. District Administration is maintaining a running list of new hires and promotions.
Special focus is given to sitting superintendents transferring to new posts, high-profile districts, notable minority hires and when the district provides ample information on the hire.
Mesa Public Schools, Arizona largest district, is in the process of promoting Matthew Strom as its next superintendent.
Strom, a 27-year education veteran, has been Mesa’s associate superintendent since July 2024 and previously served as assistant superintendent of K12 Education at Chandler USD, Arizona’s second-largest district.
Superintendents on the move: More new hires
- Greg Blake, Chico Unified School District (California)
- Sarah Cox, Tombstone Unified School District #1 (Arizona)
- Trent Eshleman, Iroquois West School District (Illinois)
- Jeff Hutchins, Hawkins ISD (Texas)
- Jerry Jessee, Bath County Public Schools (Virginia)
- Mary Johnston, Graham ISD (Texas)
- Michael Plourde, Meridian Community Unit School District #223 (Illinois)
- Richard Rogers, Houston County School District (Georgia)
- Christopher A. Schiffert, Whitehall-Coplay School District (Pennsylvania)
- Daniel W. Smith, Stafford County Public Schools (Virginia)
- Peter Tragos, New Trier Township High School District 203, (Illinois)
Superintendents on the move: Nov. 14
The Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233 in the Chicago suburbs named Jennifer Norrell its new superintendent. Norrell has been superintendent of East Aurora School District 131 since 2018, overseeing an annual $300 million budget. She was the district’s first female superintendent and was named a regional superintendent of the year.
More from DA: What does Trump have in mind for K12 education?
The Moses Lake School District in Washington promoted interim leader Carol Lewis as its next superintendent. As interim superintendent, she led the district in restructuring district finances, navigating a substantial budget shortfall and implementing measures to ensure long-term financial stability, the district announced.
More new hires
- Jason Calichman, Swampscott Public Schools (Massachusetts)
- Philip D’Agostino, Rosemead School District (California)
- Hope McBrain, Hillsboro School District (Illinois)
- Russ Tepen, Pikeland CUSD 10 (Illinois)
