ROCK SPRINGS – Joseph Libby will be Sweetwater County School District No. 1’s next superintendent.
The district’s board of trustees approved a two-year contract with Libby Monday evening during a special board meeting. The trustees deliberated for six minutes in executive session before coming back to the public session and unanimously approved the contract.
Libby received support from a parent attending the previous board meeting where the trustees voted to begin negotiations with Libby. Libby was not named as the board’s preferred finalist at that time as nothing was set regarding his employment.
Prior to the vote, Chairwoman Carol Jelaco spoke about the process and thanked the Wyoming School Boards Association and other people involved.
“Early in this process, I stated multiple times that the selection of a new superintendent is the most consequential decision any board will ever make,” she said.
She said the trustees read each and every comment submitted to them by students, parents and other district stakeholders and thanked those for offering their input during the interviews.
“The reality is this board may have the responsibility of selecting our next superintendent, but as we listened to all our stakeholders, it really is a joint decision,” Jelaco said. “You are all valued partners in this decision.”
Libby is the superintendent of schools for Sibley East Public Schools in Gaylord, Minnesota. He worked at Sibley East Public School for the past two years and nine months. Prior to that, he was executive director of teaching and learning at West Des Moines Community Schools in Des Moines, Iowa, and was assistant director of inclusive education for Kent School District in Kent, Washington. He also has experience as a middle school principal, having held that position in Colorado and Iowa.
Libby appeared before the board through video conferencing and spoke about how excited he is to be the district’s next superintendent.
“We can’t wait to get started,” he said.
The superintendent search began in October when longtime Superintendent Kelly McGovern announced her decision to retire July 1.
