Kyle Hayden

The Lawrence school board announced late Tuesday that Kyle Hayden will be the next superintendent for Lawrence Public Schools.

After eight hours of deliberation that concluded shortly before 10 p.m., the board voted 6-0 to select Hayden.

“The board engaged in a very thorough, very difficult deliberation to narrow our strong finalists to one leader who we all believe will lead our district to continued excellence,” the board said in a statement released Tuesday night.

Hayden, 44, has been in his current position as assistant superintendent of business and operations with the Lawrence school district for the past five years. Prior to that, he was superintendent of the Tonganoxie school district.

Kyle Hayden

Hayden, who was not available for comment Tuesday night, told the Journal-World on Monday that for him, the superintendent position is where he thinks he could have the biggest impact.

“I like where we’re headed as a school district,” he said. “I’ve been a part of a lot of the initiatives that have happened over the course of the last several years, and I just want to continue to be part of that.”

Hayden’s wife, Katy, is a teacher at Free State High School, and their three children attend Lawrence schools. Hayden said Monday that he thought his strong connection to the community and the district set him apart from other candidates for the superintendent position.

Hayden was one of three finalists for the position announced by the board last Friday. The other finalists were Shellaine Kiblinger, of Hutchinson, and Michael Munoz, of Rochester, Minn.

The finalists met with the board for a second round of interviews on Monday and Tuesday. School board member Kris Adair was not able to participate in the final interviews or vote to select the superintendent because of a scheduling conflict, according to Julie Boyle, spokeswoman for the district.

Current Lawrence Superintendent Rick Doll, 61, announced in November that he would resign his position effective June 30. Doll has accepted a full-time position as associate professor and executive director of the Kansas Educational Leadership Institute at Kansas State University.

On Monday and Tuesday, each finalist also met separately with focus groups of district staff, community members and students whom the board selected. The focus groups provided feedback to the board, which school board President Vanessa Sanburn previously said would be an integral part of the board’s decision.

“We have carefully considered feedback from teachers, staff, community members, and students which has guided and informed this entire process,” the board’s statement said.

Previous to his time spent working in Tonganoxie, Hayden was a school principal or assistant principal at several secondary schools in Kansas and Texas. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Tabor College, his master’s from Emporia State University and his district leadership license from Fort Hays State University.

“We are confident that Kyle Hayden is the best choice among three exceptional candidates to address our district’s challenges and advance our vision for outstanding student achievement,” the board’s statement concluded.

Boyle said Hayden’s contract will be finalized on Wednesday, after which more details will be available.