People Watch
School Administrator, September 2020
Adrienne Battle
The Metro Nashville Public Schools has appointed its interim leader, Adrienne Battle, as the school system’s permanent superintendent. Battle earlier served for five years as executive lead principal for Metro Nashville, supporting 16 schools across the district. She began her career as a middle school math, reading and language arts teacher and then served as a high school principal. An AASA member since 2019, Battle received her Ed.D. in educational administration from Tennessee State University in Nashville.





Elizabeth A. Keenan

Elizabeth Keenan has joined the Special School District of St. Louis County, Mo., which serves 23,000 special needs students, as superintendent. Keenan had worked as chief officer for diverse learners, health and wellness in the Chicago Public Schools and assistant superintendent for specialized services in Saint Paul, Minn. In earlier job postings, she was director of special services and subsequently director of curriculum and instruction in Saint Paul. An AASA member since 2019, Keenan holds a doctorate in leadership studies from Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wis.




Marlon D. King

With two decades serving public schools in Tennessee, Marlon King has joined the Jackson-Madison County School System in Jackson, Tenn., as superintendent. He previously was superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools in Somerville, Tenn., and the Southwest CORE regional executive director of the Tennessee Department of Education. Earlier King was superintendent in Haywood County, Tenn. An 11-year AASA member, King earned his Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Mississippi.




Veronica L. Motley

After serving for nearly seven years as the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning in Ohio’s South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools near Cleveland, Veronica Motley has transitioned into the superintendency of the Sylvania Public Schools in Sylvania, Ohio. She previously worked as director of instruction in South Euclid Lyndhurst system for five years. Motley also taught graduate courses in special education law, school law and ethics, and educational administration at Ashland University. She joined AASA in 2005 and attained her Ed.D. from the University of Akron.
 



SIDELIGHT
When Wayne Rodolfich took his daughter Jonna, then 4, on the Disney World jungle tour, the guide’s story about poaching stirred Jonna’s passion for animal protection. In the four years since, Rodolfich, his daughter and her three younger siblings have created biomes of the African plains, the Arctic and outer space, replete with hand-painted wooden plants and more than 400 animal figurines staged in the family’s living room. “It’s good education for them because they research the animals, they watch … any type of wildlife shows,” says Rodolfich, superintendent since 2005 in Pascagoula, Miss. He views this collection as experiential learning and says he’s invested about $3,300 in the figurine collection. He and his children don’t plan on stopping. “They’re much smarter than I was at their age, and that’s the whole goal … to make their brain be the thing that gives them success.”
 






APPOINTMENTS
 
Adam Ehrman, from superintendent, New Berlin, Ill., to superintendent, Bourbonnais Elementary School District, Bourbonnais, Ill.
Robert Machak, from superintendent, Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124, Evergreen Park, Ill., to associate superintendent, Woodland Elementary School District 50, Grayslake, Ill.
Laura O’Donnell, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Olympia Community Unit School District, Stanford, Ill.

RETIREMENTS

Elizabeth Abernethy, executive director, Region 7 Education Service Center, Kilgore, Texas
Ron Duerring, superintendent, Kanawha County, W.Va.
Don Johnson, superintendent, Fort Calhoun, Neb.
Deb Leh, superintendent, Wheatland-Chili Central School District, Scottsville, N.Y.
Benny Lile, superintendent, Metcalfe County, Ky.
James A. Mitchem, superintendent, Valley View School District 365U, Romeoville, Ill.
Dan Moore, superintendent, South O’Brien Community Schools, Paullina, Iowa
Karen Sullivan, superintendent, Indian Prairie District 204, Aurora, Ill.

HONORS

William R. Hite, superintendent, Philadelphia, Pa., named National School Foundation Association’s 2020 Superintendent of the Year
Arsenio Romero, superintendent, Deming, N.M., named board member, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M.
Aaron Spence, superintendent, Virginia Beach, Va., named AASA’s 2020 EmpowerED Digital Superintendent of the Year
Avis B. Williams, superintendent, Selma, Ala., appointed to ASCD board of directors

DEATHS

Eric J. Bartleson, 75, retired superintendent, Mankato, Minn., June 8
Peter J. Cannone, 77, retired superintendent, Sandwich, Mass., June 27
Peter G. Dolloff, 85, retired superintendent, Litchfield, N.H., April 26
James Egan, 76, retired superintendent, Hazel Green, Wis., May 20
William P. Lander, 70, retired superintendent, Monroe, N.H., June 2
Dennis W. Wilson, 74, retired superintendent, Lamar, Mo., March 21
 

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. Email: magazine@aasa.org