Edmond's next school superintendent selected
EDMOND—For the first time in Edmond Public Schools history, a woman will lead the district in a non-interim role.
Angela Mills Grunewald will succeed long time Edmond Superintendent Br et Tow ne, who will retire at t he end of the 202021 school year. The district
Board of Education chose G ru ne wald, Edmond' s associate superintendent for educational services, in a special meeting Tuesday.
Aside from an interim superintendent in the early 1990s, Grunewald will be the first female superintendent of Edmond schools. She has served as a principal and administrator in the district.
With 23,600 students, Edmond is the fourthlargest school district in Oklahoma, behind Epic Charter Schools, Tulsa Public Schools and Oklahoma City Public Schools.
“EPS is an outstanding school district with high expectations and strong community support ,” Grunewald said in a district announcement .“Together, with help from our incredible team, I am excited to build on this foundation of excellence and to take the district to the next level.”
Towne announced in October he would e nd his 39- year career in education at the close of the current school year. He has spent more than two decades with Edmond schools and was hired as superintendent in 2015 to lead the rapidly growing district.
“While I had hoped to mark the end of my career with a full 40 years of service, my declining vision and overall eye health have made it clear that this should wisely be my final year to serve ,” Towne wrote in a message to district families.
The Edmond school board conducted a two-month search for Town e' s successor. Board President Kathleen Duncan said Grunewald's vision for Edmond and strengths as a school administrator made her “the perfect fit for the job.”
“From her days as an Edmond principal to her current position, she has long been a driving force behind the success of our district and its students ,” Duncan said in the announcement. “Her knowledge of the district — and the relationships she's built — will allow her to hit the ground running as superintendent.”
Grunewald, 54, began her 33- year career in education as an elementary teacher in Snyder Public Schools, El Reno and Leedey. She first joined Edmond as the assistant principal and principal of Charles Haskell Elementary from 2003-2008 and spent 2008- 2011 at Sequoyah Middle School.
She made the jump into a district-level role at Piedmont Public Schools where she served as director of curriculum and instruction. She held a similar title at Mustang Public Schools before returning to Edmond in 2016 as the executive director of elementary education.
Edmond later promoted Grunewald to her current position, associate superintendent for educational services.
Originally from Woodward, Grunewald has a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in school leadership from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and a doctorate from Oklahoma State University. Grunewald served as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma, a state with more than 500 school districts, about 100 women are superintendents, including Tulsa Superintendent Deborah Gist, April Grace of Shawnee Public Schools, Cecil ia Robinson-Woods of Mill wood Public Schools, Stacey Butterfield of Jenks Public Schools and Amy Fichtner of Owasso Public Schools.
Although women make up 76% of t he nation's educators, only 27% are superintendents, according to the AA SA, The School Superintendents Association.
“I will be accessible and available ,” Grunewald said in a statement. “People can count on me to listen to and respect their feedback and input. By working together, we can deliver great opportunities for our students. My focus will always be providing them with a safe, innovative place to learn and grow academic ally, socially and emotionally.”