4-3 Vote Approves DMPS Superintendent - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

4-3 Vote Approves DMPS Superintendent

Jessica Daley

jdaley@myabc5.com

@TheDaleyReport

Des Moines Public Schools announced their new superintendent last week, but it wasn't until Tuesday night, and just barely, that the school board approved Tom Ahart's two-year contract.

It came down to a 4-3 vote with some strong words spoken and some dished back out.
 
The board ultimately approved Ahart, who had been serving as the district's interim superintendent since May, as the new superintendent.

Ahart sat at the board desk as seven community members spoke for him and four spoke against him. He also was right in the action as each board member, except Teree Caldwell-Johnson, explained their vote.

Two of the members who voted against his contract called into question the other board members' motives and say the application process was flawed.

"If the LeBron James of superintendents applied for this position, I believe the majority of our board would have reached the same decision," board member Joe Jongewaard says. "In doing so, the board once again missed an opportunity to think progressively."

Those who voted in favor of Ahart say they went into the hiring process with an open mind, and he was the best candidate.
 
"I waited and listened to those candidates, listened for them to bring something forth that I hadn't heard before, some sort of wow factor that might lead me to think that that might be the better choice for Des Moines schools," says board member Cindy Elsbernd. "I did not find it."
 
Ahart believes he is very qualified for this position and expects to be able to get past the vote and have a solid working relationship with all the board members.

"I think it's very important the board and superintendent have a good working relationship," Ahart says. "I don't think 7-0 votes are a high priority. We're going to have, certainly, a diverse group of seven board members are not going to be in 100% agreement all the time."