HIGHLAND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Highland and WACO Schools choose new Superintendent

Spencer Lueders, an intermediate school principal in Central DeWitt, accepts offer

By Paul D. Bowker
Posted 1/25/25

RIVERSIDE

Spencer Leuders, intermediate school principal at Central Dewitt, will be the new Superintendent of Schools at Highland Community Schools and WACO Community School District.

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HIGHLAND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Highland and WACO Schools choose new Superintendent

Spencer Lueders, an intermediate school principal in Central DeWitt, accepts offer

Posted

This story was updated February 1, 2025

RIVERSIDE

Spencer Lueders, who has been principal at Central DeWitt Intermediate School the last two years, will become the new Superintendent of Schools at Highland Community Schools and WACO Community School District in July.

Lueders replaces Ken Crawford, the current Superintendent at Highland and WACO who will retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year.

The Highland School Board approved a three-year contract for Lueders by a 6-0 vote at a special meeting Monday.

Lueders will earn a $160,000 annual salary.

Lueders, one of three finalists, accepted an offer Friday following a day of formal interviews with members of a search committee from Highland and WACO.

Board President Nate Robinson and Vice President Dan Ruth cited Lueders’ communication skills and positive energy as among the reasons why he was selected following Friday’s formal interviews that included Board members, community members and officials from both school districts.

“He was very dynamic to us,” Robinson said. “He looked at Highland and WACO as a wonderful opportunity.”

Also called to interviews Friday were Bill Zywiec, Dean of Students at Highland High School and head boys basketball coach, and Bruce Snodgrass, principal at West Burlington High School and Junior High School.

“There were three very good, very qualified finalists, and it was a very difficult decision,” Robinson told The News. “The Highland Board wishes to thank our staff and interview participants who provided a great environment to make such a decision possible.

“We also wish to extend our thanks to our partners from WACO for aiding us throughout this process.”

Lueders will guide both Highland and WACO schools in a shared position. Highland Schools pay a majority of the salary.

Lueders holds a superintendent specialist and special education supervision certificate from Northern Iowa, and a bachelor’s degree from Ashford University. He has led his school’s performance designation in Central DeWitt from acceptable to commendable.

Before arriving at Central DeWitt in 2022, he was PK-2 principal at Cardinal Elementary in Maquoketa. He began his education career as a first grade teacher in Central DeWitt in 2014.

At Highland, he will lead a district that will likely be headed into a series of construction projects at the high school and elementary school, the result of a bond referendum vote in November that might still be appealed in February.

 

Highland Schools, WACO, Spencer Lueders, Central Dewitt, superintendent