Hannibal School District narrows candidates for superintendent to five

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal School District Board of Education is moving along in the process of hiring a new superintendent to replace Susan Johnson, who will retire in June after 33 years at the district.

The district reported In an update sent Friday that 16 people applied, with eight from outside Missouri. After a review of candidates’ application materials, references, licensure verification and social media, five candidates were selected for screening interviews that will take place Jan. 18. After those interviews, three finalists will be selected.

The top desired qualifications identified by the stakeholder survey are the ability to successfully:

• Recruit, hire, support, develop, and retain effective staff members
• Effectively manage district resources
• Meaningfully engage with families and the community
• Be a strong instructional leader
• Promote a community of care and support for students
• Build community and school relations
• Foster community for teachers and staff
• Model the district vision, mission, and core values
• Advocate publicly for school needs
• Use methods of continuous improvement.

The Missouri School Board Association will set up and facilitate the screening interviews on the five candidates for Jan. 18. 

The Hannibal School Board has identified a committee of district stakeholders to serve on the formal interview team. The Board of Education will conduct formal interviews with the finalists on Jan 26.

The selected superintendent will officially begin leading the Hannibal Public School District on July 1, 2024.