FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - Fayetteville Public Schools hired a new superintendent to fill the role that will be left behind by Dr. Paul Hewitt later this year.
Dr. Matthew Wendt, a superintendent at School District 308 in Oswego, Illinois, will start as Fayetteville's new superintendent on July 1, a day after Hewitt retires.
"My contract runs through June 30, and his starts July 1, but the transition will probably be occurring gradually throughout the spring," said Hewitt.
Hewitt stepped into the role of district leader in 2014 after serving as an educational professor at University of Arkansas for seven years. He held several other educational positions, including spending 17 years as a superintendent.
"I was really to sort of fill in during a time when the superintendent search didn't go as well as this time," said Hewitt. "I just stayed on for two years to help out. Now we got a good superintendent. We're poised to move forward in the future."
Wendt was selected by the Fayetteville School Board from a pool of more than 30 other applicants. He spent the last 18 years of his 26-year career holding several other school administrative jobs in other districts.
"I lived in Fayetteville three summers back in about 2003, 2004 and 2005 to finish up my doctorate degree," said Wendt. "And of course with our son who is a student at the University of Arkansas."
Wendt will visit the Fayetteville Public Library from 1:30-3:30 p.m. and Happy Hollow Elementary School from 4:30-6:30 p.m., so students, parents and staff can get acquainted with the new district leader.
"We are just really looking forward to coming to Fayetteville, being active and engaged in not only the school system, but at the university level and in the community," said Wendt.
He will have quite the task ahead of him, as he makes only the 11th superintendent in the districts 145 year history.