OPS Names Three Finalists for Superintendent
Omaha, NE - The Omaha Board of Education has selected two administrators from midwest school districts and a third from Washington D.C. as finalists in the search for a new superintendent.
The three are Mark Evans, Superintendent in Andover, Kansas, Stephen Murley, Superintendent of the Iowa Ctiy Community School District and Carey Wright, Chief Academic Officer for the Washington D.C. School District.
Omaha Board of Education President Freddie Gray announced the finalists Friday morning, saying OPS has completed background checks on all three candidates. Former Des Moines Superintendent Dr. Nancy Sebring also completed a background check before she was hired last spring for the superintendent job. Sebring resigned before she ever started, after secret emails to a lover were uncovered on her school district computer.
"We have three excellent candidates, their qualifications are wonderful for our district," said Mrs. Gray.
Each finalist will meet next week with community leaders and parents, those meet and greet opportunities are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30 until 6:00 p.m. The Board of Education expects to name a superintendent before Christmas
The finalists provided these summaries of their careers:
I have more than three decades of educational experience, including 17 years as an administrative leader in Wichita Public Schools. During my last seven years in Wichita, I provided leadership as Interim Superintendent, Associate Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent, facilitating multiple reforms and most importantly seven consecutive years of improved student achievement. My experience includes management of multi-million dollar budgets and building community partnerships that led to a successful bond issue in 2000. I am now completing my eighth year as superintendent of Andover Public, the second fastest growing district in Kansas. All seven years have been marked by student achievement growth as well as improvement in all areas of district functions. We recently completed a major bond issue that passed by a 3-to-1 margin six years ago. We have also been recognized nationally for school/classroom innovation and technology integration.
My core beliefs that guide my leadership are:
- Students success is priority one
- Parents are our partners in education
- Success is in the classroom
- Transformational leadership and accountability ensure success
- Community collaboration is key
Stephen F. Murley
Steve Murley was appointed to the position of Superintendent of Schools in April 2010 and formally assumed this position on July 1, 2010. Prior to joining the Iowa City Community School District, Steve served the Wausau School District (WI), the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools (WI) and the Neenah Joint School District (WI). Steve’s career in education includes service as a teacher, coach, athletic department administrator, building administrator, human resources director in addition to his work as a superintendent. Steve has also been active as a graduate school faculty member having taught at the University of Wisconsin – Superior in the College of Education in the Educational Administration Department and the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh in the College of Education and Human Services in both the Department of Human Services and Professional Leadership and the Department of Educational Foundations. Prior to moving to Wisconsin he worked in municipal government at the city and county level.
Steve earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan with a triple major in Economics, History, and Communications. He has also completed a Master of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin in Educational Administration. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin.
As Superintendent of Schools, Steve is involved in many community organizations focused on providing resources and opportunities to the children of the greater Iowa City Area and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the United Way of Johnson County, Iowa City Area Junior Achievement, and the Iowa City Community School District Foundation. He is a member of the Rotary Club. Steve has been active in professional organizations at the local, state, and national level including the United States Department of Education Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, the American Association of School Administrators, the District Administration Leadership Institute, the Horace Mann League, the Iowa Association of School Boards, the School Administrators of Iowa, and the Urban Education Network. He is the past president of the Wisconsin Association of School Personnel Administrators and the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators.
Steve is married to Darci and they have three boys. Steve and his family make their home in Iowa City.
From 2003 to 2009, Dr. Wright served as the Associate Superintendent for the Office of Special Education and Student Services for the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. In her capacity as associate superintendent she was responsible for special education programming for 17,000 students with disabilities, managing a budget of $350 million, overseeing nonpublic placements and alternative programs, providing special education staffing for 200 schools, the provision of K-12 school counseling, psychological services, pupil personnel services, and the administration of the International Student Admission Office.
Dr. Wright spent the majority of her career in Howard County Public Schools, also located in Maryland. In Howard County, Dr. Wright was a teacher, a principal for seventeen years, and the Director of Special Education and Student Services. She began her career in Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, serving as a teacher.
Dr. Wright has been recognized as an outstanding educator by the National Center for Culturally Responsive Systems, nominated twice for The Washington Post Outstanding Principal Award, and awarded the Howard County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Educator of the Year. Additionally, she has made several presentations at a variety of national conferences.
Dr. Wright obtained her bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park. She currently resides in Columbia, Maryland.
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