Superintendent turnover: Frenzy of moves as school year ends

Plenty of sitting and former superintendents have landed new jobs in recent weeks.

Superintendent turnover is not slowing down even as many districts wind most other school activities down for the year.

Danielle Cook
Danielle Cook

Plenty of sitting and former superintendents have landed new jobs in recent weeks. Danielle Cook, the former superintendent of Randolph Academy Union Free School District, was picked as the new leader of the Frewsburg Central School District in New York. “The rural community circles around its school to ensure every student has a sense of belonging,” Cook said of her new role.

Also in New York, Tammy Mangus has been chosen to lead the Cassadaga Valley Central School District after having previously been the superintendent of the Monticello Central School District. Kent DeKoninck, who served eight years as the superintendent of Greenwood Community Schools and was Indiana’s 2021 Superintendent of the Year, now leads Southwest Allen County Schools.


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Teri Staloch
Teri Staloch

Teri Staloch, who led Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools from 2015 to 2022 and is currently an educational consultant, has been named superintendent of Robbinsdale Area Schools in Minnesota. In Southern California, Superintendent Jason Johnson is moving from the Hermosa Beach City School District to lead the El Segundo Unified School District. Johnson also spent several years at Redondo Beach USD and taught middle school special education at Los Angeles USD.

Richard Lyons has come out of retirement to serve as superintendent of RSU #89 in Maine, the Bangor Daily News reported. He previously led districts in Fort Kent and Vinalhaven. Superintendent David Raleigh is leaving LaRue County Schools in Kentucky to take the helm at the Jamestown School Department in Rhode Island, The Independent reported. The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District in New Jersey has hired Superintendent Ronnie Tarchichi away from the  Pennsauken School District, according to NorthJersey.com.

Michael Lonze
Michael Lonze

A few districts also hired first-time superintendents. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools in Michigan has promoted Michael Lonze, its deputy superintendent, to the top spot. He was previously an administrator and teacher with Fraser Public Schools, Birmingham Public Schools and Oak Park Schools.

Haslett Public Schools in Michigan has selected its next superintendent, Patrick Malley, who is currently the chief academic officer for Bay City Public Schools. And in North Carolina, Bill Griffin, the assistant superintendent of human resources in Caldwell County Schools, has been hired as superintendent of Alexander County Schools.

More new hires

Superintendent turnover: Departures

The following superintendents recently announced plans to step down or have been terminated:

  • Maria Chavez was terminated by Mercedes ISD (Texas).
  • Sonny Cruse has resigned from Graham ISD (Texas), effective in December.
  • Cambridge Public Schools (Massachusetts) has voted in favor of Superintendent Victoria Greer‘s resignation.
  • Superintendent April Hershey will resign from the Warwick School District (Pennsylvania) after 15 years of leadership.
  • Jeffrey Thake has resigned from the Aberdeen School District (Washington).
  • Darrell Yater has left his post as superintendent of the Northwest Local School District (Ohio) to become executive director of human resources at Little Miami Local Schools, WLWT.com reported.
Matt Zalaznick
Matt Zalaznick
Matt Zalaznick is the managing editor of District Administration and a life-long journalist. Prior to writing for District Administration he worked in daily news all over the country, from the NYC suburbs to the Rocky Mountains, Silicon Valley and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He's also in a band.

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