WMU and Columbus welcome new superintendent

WINFIELD — Winfield-Mt. Union and Columbus Community School Districts will welcome a new superintendent for the 2023-24 school year following a quick and successful interview process.

Jeff Maeder, the current shared superintendent for the districts, will leave his position at the end of the 2022-23 school year.

“I'm going to pursue some other opportunities,” Maeder said. “I think it's just time. More than anything, time for me. I need to look at a new direction for me professionally. I think it's just what's best for me.”

Over the last 15 years Maeder has served either one or both of these school districts.

In 2008, Maeder became the high school principal with Columbus schools until he took the position as Winfield — Mt. Union’s superintendent in 2015.

During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, WMU and Columbus worked together to create a shared superintendent position between the small schools.

Maeder accepted the opportunity and began to split his superintendent time 60/40 with WMU receiving the larger portion.

“Looking back, I have a lot of great memories,” Maeder said. “It's been a great experience here for me personally and professionally. I've enjoyed the relationships with people, and it's been eight years of great experience for me, and I will miss it, serving here.”

According to Columbus Community School District Human Resources Administrator Tashia Wheeler, the hunt for a new superintendent began at the beginning of the year after Maeder informed both districts of his plans to resign.

By the end of March, each district introduced their communities to the new superintendent Dr. Michael Volk.

According to Maeder, CCSD took the lead when it came to finding a new superintendent and will ultimately hold the contract with Volk for the position.

“Our boards met between the two districts and it was determined that Columbus, because we are the bigger school, would hold the contract this time around,” Wheeler confirmed.

According to the job listing on Teach Iowa, the position will now split with 60% of the superintendent’s time spent with the CCSD and 40% with WMU.

“Our board president and Winfield-Mt. Union's board president got together and gave me the process of how they would like to proceed with posting it on Teach Iowa,” Wheeler said. “We had a total of seven candidates, but three of those were out of state.”

According to Wheeler, the districts then moved forward with joint interviews for the four in-state applicants in March.

A group which consisted of administrators, teachers, and community member from both districts participated in this interview process.

According to the job listing, the group interviewed candidates with the intent of find an individual that possessed, “knowledge of school finance and have strong organization, leadership, interpersonal and communication skills.”

“On the night of the interviews, we actually had one candidate drop,” Wheeler said. “So, we ended up with three strong candidates. We interviewed that evening between those three groups. They rotated among three groups and then had a tour of Columbus.”

After administration discussed the candidates that night and came to an agreement, they presented the boards with their suggestion.

“The following Monday, the two boards met and agreed to offer the position to Dr. Michael Volk,” she said.

According to a welcome video from Volk, he understands the community and role he prepares to step into July 1 thanks to growing up in a small Eastern Iowa town and his four years of experience as a school district administrator.

Volk also brings experience as a former talented and gifted director of a rural school district.

“As your new Superintendent, I will serve each district through a shared leadership approach,” Volk told the communities of his new districts. “My goals for this upcoming school year include building relationships with the school boards, the staff, the students, the families and both schools’ communities.”

Volk expressed a desire to build these relationships so he could better listen and learn from all stakeholders in the districts.

“I look forward to the opportunity to work alongside you,” he said. “When you see me within your schools and community, please feel free to say Hello!”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com