In a short and quick vote at Tuesday's school board meeting, the Council Bluffs Community School District selected Dr. Vickie Murillo as the new superintendent for the upcoming school year.
The board voted unanimously on Dr. Murillo of Kansas City, Missouri, who is currently the Chief Academic and Accountability Officer at Kansas City Public Schools.
"From everything I can tell, they're going to be led by another great leader that's going to get them to the next level so I'm very excited in the board's decision," said Dr. Martha Bruckner, current superintendent for Council Bluffs Schools.
The search for a new superintendent started in early January after Dr. Bruckner, who served as superintendent for the district for the last years announced she would be retiring at the end of the June.
The district quickly opened the search for a new superintendent in an intentional decision made by the board. Troy Arthur, president of the school board said they wanted to be mindful to the 57 candidates who applied for the job as many of them were applying to other school districts.
"It was important for us to be first and to show them that as a board we work well together, that our negotiations are hard, I think we have great discussions about our kids, and about the future of our district. We wanted to be proactive and not let any candidate we wanted go to another district," said Arthur.
Arthur added the board is excited about the new hire, who will bring in experience in many areas that the district needs or may need in the future.
"She has experience with charter schools, with federal title programs, different things that she's been involved in and oversaw that we're just excited to have someone of her experience as a candidate and now the next superintendent," said Arthur.
Murillo will start her new contract on July 1st. There will be a transitional period for Dr. Bruckner and Dr. Murillo to work together.
