March 29, 2024

Colfax-Mingo announces interim superintendent

COLFAX — Colfax-Mingo Community Schools has selected former Saydel High School principal and interim superintendent Tracy Hook to lead the district through the next school year.

School board president Skylar Rawlins announced the hire — still pending a full board vote — Thursday. The C-M board of education offered Hook a one-year contract with a salary and benefits package totaling $138,000 for the 2015-16 school year. He was selected over current C-M school board member and retired Mingo Middle School Principal Dr. Becky Maher and retired Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Mike Healy.

The board is scheduled to take its official vote on Hook’s contract during its July 20 regular meeting.

Hook will replace former superintendent Mary Lucas, 61, who resigned in June following an early morning drunk driving arrest near Grundy Center on June 18. Lucas was cited for drunk driving in two other incidents since 1999, once while superintendent of Bettendorf Community Schools and the other while the top administrator at Charles City schools. Omaha-based superintendent search firm McPherson and Jacobson handled the candidate search for the C-M district — originally hired in April to find Lucas’ permanent replacement. The former superintendent was scheduled to retire at the end of SY 2015-16.

In an interview with the Jasper County Tribune on Friday, Hook said he’s looking forward to guiding the district through the next year and keep it moving beyond the status quo.

“I’m extremely excited that the board chose me as their candidate,” Hook said. “One thing I can do is make a smooth transition and build a lasting relationship with teachers, the community and the kids and move these folks into a new school year.”

Rawlins said the board was interested with Hook’s experience tackling grants to implement a professional learning community (PLC) — an initiative the district hopes can continually train C-M teachers on changing curriculum methods and technology in a collaborative environment.

“I want to make sure I can support the teachers because they’ve been working hard on (PLC grant),” Hook said. “It’s important for an interim to enhance school culture. Improve image — positive news about a school is very important for a superintendent to assist with. And maximizing resources. I think the school district is in pretty good shape.”

Contact Mike Mendenhall at mmendenhall@jaspercountytribune.com