FAYETTEVILLE -- The Fayetteville School Board will offer the district's top job to Matt Wendt, superintendent of an 18,000-student district in Oswego, Ill.
The board met at 5 p.m. Tuesday and immediately adjourned into an executive session for more than an hour to discuss the four finalists for the job. The board reconvened in open session and voted 7-0 for School Board President Tim Hudson to negotiate a contract with Wendt.
New Superintendent
Characteristics sought by School Board in superintendent:
• A commitment to Fayetteville School District mission and goals
• Dedication to high student achievement
• Ability to organize effective team and delegate authority and duties
• Proven record of teaching and administrative experience
• Integrity, judgment, enthusiasm and passion for education
• Adept communicator and listener
• Understanding of school law, budget and finance
• Politically astute with ability to embrace local values and culture
• Effective leadership and organizational skills
Source: School Board President Tim Hudson
"We collectively have agreed that we have found the right leader for this school district," Hudson said.
The other three candidates were Kim Garrett, Fayetteville's associate superintendent of secondary education; Jeff Collum, the Benton superintendent; and C.J. Huff, the former superintendent for Joplin, Mo., schools.
Hudson anticipates presenting a contract to hire Wendt as soon as the board's monthly meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Adams Leadership Center, 1000 W. Bulldog Blvd. in Fayetteville.
Hudson plans to hold meetings late next week to introduce Wendt and his wife, Dawn, to district employees and to the community, though a date hasn't been set, he said.
Wendt was happy to be offered the job and has visited Fayetteville many times, he said. He began a doctoral program in educational leadership and administration in 2001 at the University of Arkansas and spent three summers in the city. He earned his degree in 2005.
Wendt's son, Ryan, is attending the university. Wendt also has a daughter, Rachel, at Pittsburg State University in Kansas.
"This is a great honor," Wendt said by phone Tuesday. "We're going to have a lot of work to do. I look forward to being on the team."
Wendt was chosen to lead Fayetteville schools, a district of about 9,650 students, after a search that involved hundreds of hours of work by School Board members, who read applications, called references and spent 15 hours in executive sessions interviewing candidates, Hudson said.
Wendt's experience, energy and vision convinced the board that he provided the district with its best opportunity for success, School Board member Steve Percival said.
Percival described Wendt as someone who could work with the community and the university, be relentless in the pursuit of academic achievement and take care of empl0yees.
Wendt's career in education began in 1990 in Kansas, according to his resume. His experience as a superintendent began in July 1999 with the Fowler Unified School District in Fowler, Kan. He was assistant superintendent for learning for seven years in Pittsburg, Kan., and also was a superintendent of Ankeny Community Schools in Ankeny, Iowa.
Wendt has been superintendent of the Community Unit School District 308 in Oswego, Ill., since 2012.
Wendt is under contract with that school district. The Board of Education in Oswego will have to accept his resignation and release him from his contract, Wendt said. If contract negotiations are successful with Fayetteville, he plans to ask the Oswego board to accept his resignation at its Feb. 8 meeting.
Wendt said he believes in long-term plans. He hopes to build partnerships with businesses, agencies and organizations with an interest in education.
"I know parents have a lot of choices," Wendt said. "I want to ensure we have a product that is the best option. I am known as a competitor. I value innovation. I have a strong focus on academic achievement."
The Fayetteville School Board conducted its third superintendent search since 2009.
The search began in the fall when Superintendent Paul Hewitt announced his retirement at the end of the school year. The School Board advertised a salary of $200,000 a year for the position.
Hewitt intended to have a short tenure in Fayetteville when he succeeded Vicki Thomas, who resigned at the end of the 2013-14 school year.
Hewitt, a former superintendent from California, left his job as an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Arkansas to become the Fayetteville superintendent, he said.
Hewitt said he was concerned about the School Board having to settle on a candidate and wanted the board to have more time for a search, he said.
"I wish I were a young 60 years old and could stay in this job another 10 years. It is the greatest professional job I've ever had," Hewitt said. "I think they deserve a superstar."
Metro on 01/27/2016