New faces leading several Eastern Iowa school districts

The academic year has started for every school district in the Grant Wood Area Education Agency's 32-district service area. Here's a quick roundup of information about the superintendents guiding these school systems. Seven districts have new superintendents this year, including:

• Gary O'Malley, Mount Vernon Community School District
• Pat Hocking, Lisbon Community School District
• Karl Kurt, North Linn Community School District
• Lisa Beames, Anamosa Community School District
• Tim Kuehl, Clear Creek Amana Community School District
• Brian Ney, Springville Community School District
• Tim Cronin, Central City Community School District

By the numbers

• None of the new superintendents were internal hires.
• Four of the seven new superintendents -- Tim Cronin of Central City, Karl Kurt of North Linn, Gary O'Malley of Mount Vernon and Brian Ney of Springville -- were most recently administrators at other Grant Wood Area districts.
• Two of those new superintendents -- Gary O'Malley and Tim Cronin -- held their previous positions in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. O'Malley was a deputy superintendent and Cronin was principal of Kenwood Elementary School.
• Bill Lynch, superintendent of both the HLV and Belle Plaine Community School Districts, is the area's longest-serving superintendent. He's been the HLV district's head administrator for 33 years.
• Only one of the new superintendents, Lisa Beames in Anamosa, is a woman. Two of the administrative vacancies arose from departing female superintendents: Denise Schares in Clear Creek Amana retired and Pam Ewell of Mount Vernon resigned.
• Brian Ney is the interim superintendent of the Springville Community School District. Prior to this role, he spent three years as interim superintendent in the Anamosa school district.

Curated by Meryn Fluker, The Gazette