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New Superintendent Selected For Fayetteville Public Schools

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — The Fayetteville School Board selected Dr. John L Colbert, the current Associate Superintendent for Support Services, to be the new ...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- The Fayetteville School Board selected Dr. John L Colbert, the current Associate Superintendent for Support Services, to be the new superintendent of Fayetteville Public Schools.

The vote was 7-0.

Colbert has served as the acting superintendent since Dr. Matthew Wendt was placed on paid leave back in April.  Wendt's contract was terminated Monday (June 18), during a special school board meeting.

Details about Colbert's contract will decided Thursday (June 28), during the next board meeting.

The school board sent out the following release about the decision:

“The naming of Dr. Colbert as superintendent begins a new chapter for the leadership of Fayetteville Public Schools,” said Justin Eichmann, president of the Fayetteville Board of Education. “He has been a cornerstone of Fayetteville Public Schools for many years. We have every confidence in Dr. Colbert, and he will have our full support.”

Colbert has worked at the district for more than 30 years, starting as teacher before rising to associate superintendent in 2016. He is the first African-American to lead Fayetteville Public Schools.

"I'm very excited, and actually elated that the board has put that trust in me," said Colbert following Thursday's decision.

"We are still Fayetteville, and we are still number one, and we still will continue to provide an appropriate education for every student coming through the doors," he said.

Colbert takes over after a turbulent few months, and said he wants to ensure something similar doesn't happen again.

"We, as adults and leaders, we have to respect each other and follow the procedures and the guidelines, because they're in place," Colbert said. "We just have to make sure that we are consistent, and we do that consistently throughout."

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