FAYETTEVILLE -- The School Board decided late Wednesday to offer the superintendent's job to John Mulford.
The board chose Mulford, currently the deputy superintendent of operations for the Springfield (Mo.) Public Schools, in a unanimous vote during a special meeting Wednesday and revealed the decision in a news release Thursday.
He stands to be the 14th superintendent in the School District's 152-year history.
""We are very excited to be able to offer this position to Dr. Mulford," board President Nika Waitsman said in the release. "We had an excellent pool of candidates, and after a careful review and numerous interviews, we are confident that we've made a strong choice to lead Fayetteville Public Schools. In the years ahead, our school district will benefit greatly from the wealth of experience and dedication to public education that Dr. Mulford brings with him to this role."
Mulford will begin the job July 1. He'll succeed John L Colbert, the district's superintendent since 2018. Colbert is retiring this summer after a 47-year career with the district.
"I am humbled and honored to serve as the next superintendent for Fayetteville Public Schools," Mulford said in the release. "During my interview with the Board of Education, I was inspired by their collective commitment to excellence while prioritizing the uniqueness of each individual. My wife and I are excited to become part of the Fayetteville community and look forward to the great things we will accomplish together. Go Bulldogs!"
The board interviewed Mulford on Monday. Jeannine Porter, chief of marketing, communications and strategic initiatives for the Irving (Texas) Independent School District, interviewed Wednesday.
The board narrowed its candidate list from 31 to six during a special meeting Jan. 28. Mulford and Porter were among the six chosen for the first round of interviews, conducted via Zoom.
The board interviewed those six before initially trimming the field to Anthony Rossetti, superintendent of the Webb City (Mo.) School District; and Brad Swofford, superintendent of the Branson (Mo.) School District. But after in-person interviews with Rossetti and Swofford, the board on Feb. 24 decided to interview Mulford and Porter in person. Rossetti and Swofford were no longer candidates at that point, Waitsman said.
The superintendent search started with a planning meeting in September. GR Recruiting of St. Louis led the hiring process. The base salary for the position was advertised as being "in the range of $275,000" plus a comprehensive benefits package, according to the job description posted by GR Recruiting.
"The final salary for the successful candidate will be negotiated and determined based on proven experience, qualifications, and meeting the Fayetteville Board of Education's criteria," the job posting states.
Fayetteville's enrollment as of last fall was 10,426. The district's preliminary budget for this school year showed expenditures projected at about $128 million.
John MulfordHandout: Fayetteville Public Schools
The story was updated to correct Mulford's current position.