FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Monday evening, the district held a meet and greet for the superintendent to meet with members of the Fayetteville community.
“I started in private education, actually the first 5 years, and then I had 21 years in public education," said the new Fayetteville School Superintendent Dr. John Mulford.
During that time he served districts with as little as 2,500 students to as large as 25,000. Now, he’ll severe at one of Arkansas’ 10 biggest districts.
“We’re excited about coming to a district that’s committed to seeing every single student succeed,” Dr. Mulford said. “Certainly, anytime you explore opportunities, it’s nerve-racking.”
However, he says taking on the role of the next superintendent of Fayetteville Public Schools is a role he is up for. In March, the Fayetteville School Board voted unanimously to offer Mulford the job. The district began looking for a new superintendent in August after Dr. John L Colbert announced his retirement.
Addressing School Safety
"We will certainly assess all of our facilities, and look for ways that we can improve safety and security. That'll be an ongoing process, minimally annually, but probably multiple times a year.”
Addressing the Bus Driver Shortage
“We'll also look to be as competitive as we can with wages and those types of things that also attract people. I wish I had a magic pill there, but quite frankly, almost every district across the country is dealing with it,” said Dr. Mulford.
He says he plans to ensure Fayetteville Schools are a place in which people want to work.
Thoughts on the LEARNS Act.
“At the end of the day we're going to follow the guidelines that are provided to us by our state leaders,” Dr. Mulford said.
As Dr. Mulford steps into his new role, he says not only did the district choose him, but he chose the district.
“Fayetteville just aligns with my personal beliefs around education— my commitment to serving others. That's really what I'm about, and helping others succeed,” said Dr. Mulford.
Dr. Mulford will take over as superintendent for the 2023 - 2024 school year and will move to Northwest Arkansas in June.
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