Over the last few months, several area school districts have announced a search for a new superintendent and that list now includes USD 253 Emporia.
During the most recent USD 253 Board of Education meeting, it was announced that Superintendent Dr. Allison Anderson Harder will be retiring at the end of the current school year. Anderson Harder was named interim superintendent in November of 2020 following the resignation of former superintendent Kevin Case that same month.
Anderson Harder would be named the permanent superintendent just a few months later in February of 2021. Before taking on her current role, Anderson Harder served as the district’s director of special services for the Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative and various other leadership roles as part of a better than 20-year career with the district up to that point.
Anderson Harder’s retirement will mean a major shift in leadership for Emporia as both Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning and Student Services Judy Stanley and Director of Human Resources Jared Giffin are set to wrap up their careers at the end of the current school term as well.
Including Emporia, four area school districts are now in search of new leadership. The list also includes USD 284 Chase County and USD 386 Madison-Virgil with the retirement announcements of Glenna Grinstead (Chase County) and Tammy Baird (Madison-Virgil) as well as 421 Lyndon following the termination of Brad Marcotte and the interim appointment of Paul Dorathy late last year.
