New Superintendent Announced
Launch the media gallery 1 playerThe Treynor School Board is pleased to announce that Mr. Mark Hopkins has verbally accepted the offer to serve as the new superintendent. He will officially begin his duties on July 1, 2019 and will transition with interim superintendent Lou Howell between now and then.
The Treynor School screened 8 semi-finalists for the district superintendent position on Wednesday, Jan. 30th. Two finalists were interviewed on Wednesday, Feb. 13th. Based on the feedback from over 50 people from varying perspectives it was clear that Mark was the right fit for the district. The board met in closed session to review the feedback and made the offer to Mark Wednesday night which he was pleased to accept. He said, “The Treynor Community School is a special place with a rich tradition and a progressive vision for the future. I am honored to be the next superintendent and excited to work with the entire Treynor family to lead the school district into the future.”
Mr. Hopkins currently serves as the Department Chair for K-12 Programs at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA. His prior experiences include serving the Lone Tree School District as the Curriculum Director/Instructional Coach and AHSTW District Superintendent. He began his education career in Farragut as an English teacher and speech and drama coach. Mr. Hopkins has over 20 years’ experience working with and leading rural Iowa schools. In 2011, he was recognized by the Iowa High School Speech Association as the Administrator of the Year. In 2014, he was recognized by the Lone Tree School district with a Positive Impact Award for positively impacting the school culture and climate. He expects to complete his doctorate degree at the University of Iowa in May.
Mark and his wife Debra have two grown sons (Chris and John). John is a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. Chris is an owner-operator truck driver in Webb City, Missouri. Mark and Debra have four grandchildren (ages range from 3 to 7). Debra is a paraeducator at Storm Lake Elementary.
The board would like to thank all participants that provided feedback and helped prepared to showcase the district to the finalists. They felt the finalists were both quality candidates and valued the input from everyone involved to help make the best decision for the district and community. Board President Amy Garber said, “The Board is excited about the new phase Treynor Community School District will be entering and to have Mark as part of our Treynor family. Thanks to everyone who was involved during our interview process.”