Spa City schools get new chief
HOT SPRINGS — The Hot Springs School Board accepted the resignation of Superintendent Mike Hernandez on Thursday and hired his successor from within the district’s administration.
The resignation was accepted during a special meeting. The move is effective at the end of the 2016-17 school year.
Stephanie Nehus, associate superintendent of learning services, was hired as superintendent effective July 1. All five board members were in attendance, and both votes were unanimous.
The votes were held after the board adjourned into executive session for more than an hour and 20 minutes. The board conducted an interview with Nehus during the executive session.
Hernandez was recently hired as superintendent of the state office of coordinated support and service. He will work directly with the commissioner of the Arkansas Department of Education and the director of the Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative in Monticello.
The position has been restructured from three positions into one. Andrew Tolbert is retiring as superintendent of the state office of intensive support. His office included two other positions for curriculum and finance.
“I looked at it as an opportunity to still be able to help our local schools,” Hernandez said. “I’m not moving. I get to stay here. My kids get to stay in school at Hot Springs. I will actually probably have an office here in town.”
Hernandez will work with schools throughout the state to improve in all areas of education and management, including academics, facilities, fiscal matters, personnel and student services. He will be contracted through the Southeast Cooperative.
“The charge from the state side is looking at finding different efficiencies while still being effective,” Hernandez said. “The idea was to replace those officers with just one person, initially. From what I understood, they were looking for somebody that really understood the state perspective and then also the school perspective that could leverage all of the different resources that are out there and not duplicate effort.”
Hernandez was hired by Hot Springs in April 2013 after the retirement of former superintendent Joyce Craft, who worked in the district for 43 years.
Hernandez was deputy commissioner of the Education Department for one year after he served as assistant commissioner for fiscal and administrative services for a year. He began his teaching career at Hot Springs and Fountain Lake, his alma mater, before he served as principal and athletic director of Western Yell County for one year and superintendent at Danville for two years.
His wife is a graduate of Hot Springs.
“I think the district is in good hands and in good shape with where we are going that I’m not necessarily worried about issues with Hot Springs,” Hernandez said. “I’m worried about what we do for these other schools.”