USD 253 Emporia Public Schools now has a new leader for the short term.
During a special session of the Board of Education Tuesday afternoon the board voted unanimously to appoint District Executive Director of Special Services Dr. Allison Anderson-Harder as the district’s Interim Superintendent. Board President Mike Crouch called Anderson-Harder the ideal selection due to her “tremendous” leadership qualities.
Dr. Anderson-Harder came to the district in 1995 as a school psychologist and has held a number of positions within the district over her 25-year career including as an early childhood coordinator and Principal at Walnut Elementary School before assuming her role as Executive Director of Special Services back in 2017.
Anderson-Harder says the recent process has been a “fairly quick turnaround” and there are some challenges she knows will be difficult in the coming months. However, she is excited to continue the strides the district has made in recent years.
Anderson-Harder replaces former Superintendent Kevin Case who officially tendered his resignation last week with the Board of Education approving a separation between the two during a special session last Friday. Crouch tells KVOE News the search for a permanent superintendent will begin in the coming months following the board’s next regular meeting scheduled for Dec. 9. A representative of the Kansas Association of School Boards will be present at that meeting to discuss a potential timeline for that process.
On a separate note, there have been some concerns regarding transparency from the district expressed by patrons in recent days. Crouch declined to comment on the matter while speaking with KVOE News.
