Superintendents are steadily on the move this fall, with a wave of new hires and retirements rolling across the nation in recent weeks.
Southern California Superintendent Ben Churchill is moving from the Carlsbad Unified School District, which he has led for the past eight years, to Poway USD, where he will take the helm on Dec. 2. Students of color consistently achieved at higher than expected levels during his tenure in Carlsbad, earning the district the Learning Policy Institute’s “Positive Outlier” designation.
Churchill has also worked in K12 administrative positions in Illinois. “In a field of exceptional candidates, Dr. Churchill’s extensive experience, approachable demeanor, and innovative vision for moving PUSD forward stood out,” Poway USD School Board President Michelle O’Connor-Ratcliff said.
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Associate Superintendent Sean G. Taylor has been promoted and will become the superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township in Indianapolis in July. Taylor has worked in the district for 16 years, having also served as a middle school and elementary school principal.
Onalaska ISD in Texas has chosen Assistant Superintendent Kenneth Fraga as the lone finalist to become its next superintendent. Fraga was previously the principal of Onalaska Jr. and Sr. High School. In Kentucky, Knott County Schools has chosen longtime educator Gregory Conn as its next superintendent. Conn is a former school finance officer and supervisor of instruction.
Wisconsin’s Slinger School District is promoting Assistant Superintendent Kristi Brooks to superintendent, with a start date of July 1.
More new hires:
- Angela Friebolin, Palmerton Area School District (Pennsylvania)
- Holly Prast, Kimberly Area School District (Wisconsin)
- Brad Sterner, Bermudian Springs School District (Pennsylvania)
- Katie VanConant, Sanilac Intermediate School District (Michigan)
Superintendents on the move: Retirements
Superintendent Andi Fourlis, who leads Arizona’s largest district, Mesa Public Schools, will retire in June. Fourlis, who became Mesa’s superintendent in 2020, is credited with redesigning learning experiences, increasing collaboration among staff and enhancing community engagement, the district says on its website.
Other retirement announcements:
- David Aslyn will retire from the Spooner Area School District (Wisconsin) in June.
- Michael F. Fitzpatrick will retire from Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District (Massachusetts) at the end of the school year.
- Misty Foster is retiring from the Laredo R-VII School (Missouri).
- Belinda Kirgan will retire from Odin Public School District #722 (Illinois) at the end of the school year.
- Doug Loomis will retire from Amarillo ISD (Texas) at the end of the school year.
- Teresa Murphy will retire from Mansfield Public Schools (Massachusetts) in June.
- Beth Polito will retire from the Las Lomitas Elementary School District (California) at the end of the school year.
