Newton superintendent Steve McDermott grew up in Greenfield, a 30-minute drive north of Creston on Iowa Highway 25 in Southwest Iowa. So, in many ways, when he becomes superintendent of the Creston Community School District on July 1, he will have come back home.

So, it's perhaps a little ironic that Creston's community motto is "Back to Home."

McDermott, who has served the Newton Community School District for the past 11 years, said he was looking forward to working more closely to the classroom setting in his new position. The Creston school district, which roughly half the size of the Newton district, should afford him that opportunity.