photo by: Contributed

Thomas Ahart

A former superintendent for the Des Moines, Iowa, public school system has been named a finalist for the interim superintendent position to lead Lawrence public schools for the next year.

The Lawrence school board announced that Thomas Ahart is a finalist for the position and will be interviewed during a special Wednesday evening meeting of the Lawrence school board.

The interview will be conducted in a closed-door executive session, meaning it won’t be open for the public to view. The district doesn’t plan to take any action Wednesday evening following the interview.

Ahart is the second publicly announced finalist for the position, joining current Lawrence deputy superintendent Larry Englebrick, who was announced on Monday.

School board members are searching for an interim superintendent for the next school year, following the resignation of current Superintendent Anthony Lewis, who is leaving in early August for a superintendent job in North Carolina. The interim superintendent is expected to serve until July 2025, at which point the school board will have hired a new superintendent to lead the district.

Ahart has 33 years of experience in education and has been a consultant for superintendents and leadership teams with the Council for the Great City Schools since 2022. Prior to this, he spent 14 years at Des Moines Public Schools, the largest district in Iowa, including a decade as superintendent, and held various roles such as associate superintendent and principal.

“I have always loved Lawrence, and USD 497 is a great size: large enough to provide a wide range of opportunities but small enough to build a true team/family culture,” Ahart said in a news release. “I’m very impressed with the work the district has done in the recent past on facilities. More importantly the district has committed itself to equity, to true school improvement for all students — that’s tremendously important to me.”

Before his time at Des Moines, Ahart held various roles, including director of human resources, director of instruction, and high school language arts teacher, across Ankeny, Marshalltown, and Denison Community Schools in Iowa. He also served as a school improvement consultant for the Heartland Area Education Agency and taught high school language arts in the Roaring Fork School District in Colorado. Ahart completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Denver and earned his master’s, education specialist, and doctorate degrees from Drake University.

“Dr. Ahart’s integrity as a leader and track record in Des Moines Public Schools stood out to the board,” school board President Kelly Jones said in a news release. “His efforts led to a strong and dynamic culture for staff, students and families, along with fiscal responsibility and budget solvency amid financial challenges. We are excited to share the pride we have in our district and community and explore how his experience and approach can help our staff, students and schools thrive in the months to come.”

The search for an interim superintendent has been ongoing since the end of June, when Lewis, who had been superintendent since 2018, announced his departure. The board interviewed Englebrick Monday and plans to announce another interim superintendent finalist interview this week.

The special meeting will be held Wednesday at the district offices, 110 McDonald Drive, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The meeting will also be available on the school district’s YouTube channel.