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Fayetteville School District Welcomes New Superintendent

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — Fayetteville School District welcomed a new superintendent earlier this July. This will be Matthew Wendt`s eleventh year serving as ...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- Fayetteville School District welcomed a new superintendent earlier this July.

This will be Matthew Wendt`s eleventh year serving as a superintendent. Wendt replaces Paul Hewitt who retired at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.

Most recently, Wendt was the superintendent for the school district in Oswego, Illinois.

Celeste Hoskins, who has two children in Fayetteville schools, wants to make sure that he feels welcome and she knows the district is going in the right direction.

"I think as long as he continues just listening...I don`t have specific hopes, I just know that nobody knows better than the teachers and the parents. So as long as they continue down that road I think it will be very successful,” said Celeste Hoskins.

Wendt said there isn`t a lot they need to do to restructure or reform because the Fayetteville school district has a long history of doing things right for students and he looks forward to building on those successes.

"It's about closing gaps, filling voids and finding ways to do even better for the next generation of kids, “ said Matthew Wendt.

Wendt said there aren`t many communities across the country that have support like Fayetteville does.

He said it`s a privilege to be the eleventh superintendent of Fayetteville since 1871 which he said speaks volumes about tradition and commitment.

“I`m laying out a plan to meet people and to listen because everyone has a story and there is so much pride in the district, they want the new superintendent to know about their experience,” he said.

Wendt said our focus should always be on the kids.

"Recognize that if we truly want to create an environment where they can not only nationally compete but compete internationally this is the business I want to be in,” he said.

Wendt said he had the opportunity to welcome more than 60 new teachers to the district at new teacher orientation this week and a dozen are new to teaching.

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