Johnston Community School District names Nikki Roorda as new superintendent
The interim superintendent of the Johnston Community School District is now the district's next permanent superintendent.
The district on Wednesday in a news release named Nikki Roorda as the new superintendent. Roorda will start Nov. 1 and is expected to be formally approved by the Johnston Community School District Board of Education on Nov. 6.
Roorda took on the interim position in June after the previous superintendent, Laura Kacer, resigned in February.
Roorda has worked for the district since August 2019, when she started as the executive director of teaching and learning. She became an associate superintendent in July 2021.
She previously worked as the regional director for the Heartland Area Education Agency, was a K-12 literacy coordinator in Ankeny and has classroom teaching experience in Ankeny, West Des Moines and Montezuma, as well as Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
"As many of you know, it has been a longtime goal and dream of mine to be a superintendent. I am so proud of the work we've done here together these past four years, and we've only just begun," Roorda said in the district's news release on Wednesday.
Roorda was one of two finalists who interviewed on Oct. 24 with groups of students, parents, teachers and community members, according to the news release. The Johnston School Board worked with Grundmeyer Leader Services to conduct a search for candidates.
School board president Alicia Clevenger said in the news release, "We are confident that (Roorda's) expertise and dedication will propel the district to new heights in both educational excellence, as well as in developing a culture here where everyone feels welcome, valued and heard.”
More: Johnston has parent-teacher conferences on Election Day. Can teachers, parents still vote?
Phillip Sitter covers suburban growth and development for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Johnston school district names Nikki Roorda as new superintendent
