Superintendents statewide are already announcing their retirement, accepting new jobs, and tendering their resignations. 

The leadership shuffle in Idaho schools peaks each spring during prime hiring season, as trustees seek the most qualified candidates.  

EdNews tracks it all. Here are eight of the first openings. 

We’ll continue to update this story in the months to come. If you know of any openings or hires that we missed, let us know. 

Boise 

Leaving: Superintendent Coby Dennis will retire this summer. 

Taking over: Longtime Boise educator Lisa Roberts, becoming the district’s first female superintendent. 

Fremont County

Leaving: Dave Marotz, who was serving as interim superintendent.

Taking over: Brandon Farris, who is currently the principal at Wyoming’s Clear Creek Middle School, will start as superintendent this summer. Originally from Jerome, Farris told EastIdahoNews.com that becoming a superintendent “is a dream come true.”

“Dr. Farris brings a wealth of experience and dedication to education, and we look forward to the positive impact he will make on our school district,” a district announcement read. 

South Lemhi

Leaving: Superintendent Kevin Ramsey will stay with the district, but take on a different role this summer. 

Taking over: The position is currently advertised on edjobsidaho.com. 

Valley

Leaving: Former Superintendent Jennifer Jacobson resigned in November following a disagreement with the board of trustees. Eric Anderson is acting as interim superintendent. 

Taking over: The position is currently advertised on edjobsidaho.com. 

Jerome

Leaving: Superintendent Pat Charlton will retire this summer. 

“I’ve been at this business for a long time, this is my 45th year in education and my 39th year as an administrator, and so I decided it’s probably time to start enjoying my grandkids and my family, and as well as some of my passions like skiing and so forth,” Charlton told kmvt.com.

Taking over: The position has not been filled yet. 

New Plymouth

Leaving: Superintendent David Sotutu resigned at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, according to argusobserver.com.

In his resignation letter, which was obtained by the Argus Observer, Sotutu cited Idaho’s political climate as a reason for leaving: “While our school district and community have been very supportive of our students and educators, the state of Idaho’s hostility towards public education is suffocating,” he wrote. 

Taking over: Wil Overgaard is the district’s interim superintendent, who came out of retirement to help. It’s the second time he’s done so, having previously come out of retirement to serve as interim superintendent at Buhl School District. 

He said his returns to leadership speak to the lack of qualified superintendents in Idaho: “There’s a shortage, there’s no question.”

On top of that, New Plymouth School District’s opening came after prime superintendent hiring season, which was a factor.

The position is now open again, and is being advertised on the Idaho School Boards Association website. 

Shelley

Leaving: Chad Williams will become the Idaho High School Activities Association’s executive director this summer, replacing Ty Jones, who will retire. 

“I look forward to the journey ahead and the positive impact we can make together,” he said in a press release. “My primary focus is on fostering relationships across Idaho, with the ultimate goal of offering students enriching opportunities for learning, personal growth, and excellence through extracurricular activities.”

Taking over: The position is currently advertised on edjobsidaho.com. 

Fruitland

Leaving: Current Superintendent Lyle Bailey will retire this summer.

Taking over: The position is currently advertised on the Idaho School Boards Association website. 

Idaho EdNews data analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report.