Columbia Public Schools announces superintendent choice
Columbia, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Board of Education selected Dr. H. Brian Yearwood to serve as Columbia Public Schools’ next superintendent after a board vote during a closed executive session Monday morning. The board voted 7-0 to approve the contract for the new superintendent.
Yearwood was selected after a nationwide search following Dr. Peter Stiepleman’s retirement announcement earlier this school year.
“We are very pleased to be moving forward with Dr. Yearwood,” Board of Education President Helen Wade said. “He comes to us with extensive experience in education and has experience in many areas our district has been focusing on, including literacy and college and career readiness. We are excited about his energy and optimism and believe he will give CPS 110%.”
Yearwood is currently the chief operations officer for the Manor Independent School District in Manor, Texas. He has been a professor, coach, principal, and assistant superintendent over his 30 years in education.
“I look forward to meeting with board members, staff, scholars, parents, community members and all other stakeholders of our extraordinary school district,” Yearwood said. “Together we will build on the strengths of Columbia Public Schools.”
Yearwood officially begins his role on July 1.
Sean Nevills with the Teachers of Color Support Network told ABC 17 News that he was encouraged by the pick. The move, he said, signaled a strong push by the board in moving the district forward on diversity and inclusion.
"When you see the superintendent being a man of color, that really tells you where our board is and our district wants to go when they address issues on equity and representation, and on diversity and inclusion in the district," Nevills said.
Kerri Stith, co-president of the Columbia Missouri State Teachers Association, said it was excited by the pick. Stith credited Yearwood with a show of interest on learning about the needs of each school building and its staff.
"Just him talking about the fact that he wants to get into each building and know how each building works and functions...that was a real positive thing that we liked about Dr. Yearwood," Stith said.
Yearwood signed a three-year contract worth $230,000 the first year and subsequent two years where he will get a raise from one percent to 10 percent. His starting is salary is $6,000 more than what Stiepleman made this school year.
