People Watch

School Administrator, November 2019


Robert J. Connors
Glasgow, Mont., Public Schools has said goodbye to its superintendent of seven years as Bob Connors took the helm in Bozeman, Mont. Connors previously served Stevensville, Mont., Public Schools as a junior high principal, high school vice principal, federal programs coordinator and K-12 assessment coordinator. He began his career in education as a business teacher and football, basketball and track coach in several schools throughout Montana. Connors has been a member of AASA since 2016.




C. Todd Cummings
The South Bend, Ind., Community School Corporation has welcomed Todd Cummings as its 26th superintendent. Most recently, Cummings served as the district’s deputy superintendent and as human resources director. He also spent six years in the Fort Wayne, Ind., system where he held positions as a human resources manager, director of the Teacher Incentive Fund Project and coordinator of academic services. He earned his Ph.D. in educational leadership administration and foundations from Indiana State University and has been a member of AASA since 2018.




Aresta L. Johnson
The University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Conn., has welcomed Aresta Johnson back as the School of Education’s director of K-12 strategic initiatives. Johnson earned her doctorate in educational leadership from the university. Over a five-year period, she was superintendent, assistant superintendent and executive director of secondary education at nearby Bridgeport Public Schools after a stint as instructional leadership director in Waterbury, Conn. Johnson began her career in education as a chemistry teacher. She has been a member of AASA since 2018.

 


Marvin MacAuley
After beginning his career as a biological technician with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, Marvin MacAuley launched a 19-year career in education, recently moving into the superintendency of the Mora, N.M., Independent School District. Previously, MacAuley worked his way up through Peñasco, N.M., Independent School District from math and science teacher to director to principal and superintendent. He also taught at a school in Las Vegas, N.M. MacAuley joined AASA in 2017.

 


Patrick K. Murphy
Berkeley County Schools in Martinsburg, W.V., has named Pat Murphy, a 31-year educator, its new superintendent. During the previous 10 years, he served in the top berth of the Arlington, Va., Public Schools. Previously, Murphy was the assistant superintendent of accountability in Fairfax County, Va., Public Schools for five years. He also was director of instruction for Winchester, Va., Public Schools. Murphy, a former Virginia superintendent of the year and a 2015 National Superintendent of the Year finalist, earned his Ed.D. in educational administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is a 20-year member of AASA.




Darryl L. Williams
Darryl Williams has begun work as superintendent of the Baltimore County, Md., Public Schools. Prior to this appointment, Williams served as associate superintendent and community superintendent in Montgomery County, Md., Public Schools and as principal at two high schools and a middle school, all in Montgomery County. He began his career as a math teacher at his high school alma mater in Washington, D.C., his hometown. A member of AASA since 2016, Williams earned his Ed.D. from the University of Maryland in College Park, Md.





APPOINTMENTS
Aspasia Angelou, from director of high school design, Tulsa, Okla., to superintendent, Nadaburg Unified School District No. 81, Wittmann, Ariz.
David C. Bills, from superintendent, Honeoye, N.Y., to superintendent, West Genesee Central School District, Camillus, N.Y.
Wendy Birhanzel, from co-chief operating officer to co-superintendent, Harrison School District 2, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Chris Dougherty, from superintendent, DePue, Ill., to superintendent, Taylorville, Ill.
Todd Finn, from principal, Mill River Union High School, North Clarendon, Vt., to superintendent, Lewiston, Maine
Greggory Fuerstenau, from superintendent, Taylorville, Ill., to superintendent, Litchfield, Ill.
Kendra V. Johnson, from superintendent, Montclair, N.J., to community superintendent, Howard County Public School System, Ellicott City, Md.
Mark McLaughlin, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Merrimack, N.H.
David A. Myers, from superintendent, New Kent, Va., to assistant superintendent of data, Virginia Department of Education, Richmond, Va.
John Rogerson, from co-chief operating officer to co-superintendent, Harrison School District 2, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Rob Watson, from superintendent, Bozeman, Mont., to superintendent, Missoula County Public Schools, Missoula, Mont.
Jim Wipke, from superintendent, Fox C-6 School District, Arnold, Mo., to superintendent, Ladue Schools, St. Louis, Mo.


RETIREMENTS
Marjorie C. Chiafery, superintendent, Merrimack, N.H.
Donna Jahnke, superintendent, Ladue Schools, St. Louis, Mo.
Daniel King, superintendent, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, Pharr, Texas
Tammy Lacey, superintendent, Great Falls, Mont.
Harold Melleby Jr., superintendent, Eastern Camden County Regional School District, Voorhees Township, N.J.
Kathleen A. Smith, superintendent, Brockton, Mass.
William Webster, superintendent, Lewiston, Maine


DEATHS
Raleigh Buchanan, 78, retired superintendent, Haverhill, Mass., July 26
Phil Fallon, 82, retired superintendent, Fitchburg, Mass., Aug. 7
Jerry L. Glover, 76, retired superintendent, Barbour County, Ga., July 20

 

News about AASA members’ promotions, retirements, honors and deaths should be addressed to: Editor, School Administrator, 1615 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Fax: 703-841-1543. E-mail: magazine@aasa.org