(John Mulford/Courtesy)The Fayetteville School Board on Wednesday selected a new superintendent for the district.
In a unanimous vote, the board agreed to offer the position to John Mulford, who currently serves as the deputy superintendent of operations for Springfield (Missouri) Public Schools.
“We are very excited to be able to offer this position to Dr. Mulford,” said board president Nika Waitsman in a news 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. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Mulford and his family to Fayetteville.”
The position was advertised as having a salary “in the range of $275,000 plus an excellent comprehensive benefits package,” according to a job description listing by GR Recruiting.
Once contract negotiations are complete, Mulford will be set to start work on July 1. He would replace John L. Colbert, who is retiring in June.
“I am humbled and honored to serve as the next superintendent for Fayetteville Public Schools,” said Mulford. “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 cut its list of 31 applicants to six candidates during a special meeting in January. That list was trimmed further when the board announced Anthony Rossetti and Brad Swofford as finalists in early February. Rossetti is superintendent of the Webb City School District in Webb City, Missouri. Swofford is superintendent of the Branson School District in Branson, Missouri.
The board interviewed both Rossetti and Swofford in late February, but then announced plans to conduct two more interviews – one with Mulford and another with Jeannine Porter, who is chief of marketing, communications and strategic initiatives for the Irving Independent School District in Irving, Texas. Both Mulford and Porter were included in the original list of six candidates.
Mulford would become the 14th superintendent in the 152-year history of Fayetteville Public Schools.
