Three finalists have been named to interview to become the next shared superintendent of the New Hampton and Turkey Valley school districts.
New Hampton and Turkey Valley school board members met with Grundmeyer Leader Services on Monday (01.20) to review the pool of 12 applicants seeking to succeed outgoing shared Superintendent Jay Jurrens, who will retire at the end of this school year on June 30th.
Finalists to be interviewed include Michelle Havenstrite, who most recently served as superintendent and director of special education for the PCM School District in Monroe, Iowa. During her four-year tenure, Havenstrite successfully led two bond referendums.
Also to be interviewed is Josh Johnson, currently director of secondary education for the Waterloo School District, where he played a key role in developing a two-year budget to reduce $16 million in general fund expenditures.
The only finalist currently serving as a superintendent is Erik Smith, the shared superintendent for AGWSR and Gladbrook-Reinbeck school districts. Prior to his present position, Smith spent 12 years as a principal in three different school districts.
School board and stakeholder interview teams will conduct formal interviews with each of the three finalists on February 6th, with the two school boards to reach a final decision soon after the interviews.
The next shared NHTV superintendent will begin leading the two school districts effective July 1.
You can read more background on the three finalists in the press release below:
New Hampton, Turkey Valley School Boards Name Finalists for
Next Shared Superintendent
January 23, 2025
The New Hampton and Turkey Valley Community School District School Boards met with Grundmeyer Leader Services on January 20, 2025, to review the pool of 12 candidates and have announced three finalists in their search for a shared superintendent.
The finalists are Michelle Havenstrite, Josh Johnson, and Erik Smith.
Havenstrite most recently served as superintendent and director of special education for the PCM Community School District. In this role, she partnered with the community to develop and implement a five-year strategic plan aligned with the district’s vision and values. She also oversaw a comprehensive data collection process using surveys, focus groups, and interviews to foster a culture of excellence and innovation. During her four-year tenure, Havenstrite successfully led two bond referendums. Havenstrite holds a doctorate in education from South Dakota State University and a master’s degree in special education from Morningside University. She has more than 30 years of experience in K-12 and postsecondary leadership and instruction.
Currently, Johnson serves as the director of secondary education for Waterloo CSD. He has collaborated with the Waterloo leadership team to oversee a district of 10,000 students, 19 buildings, and approximately 1,700 employees. Johnson also played a key role in developing a two-year budget reduction plan to reduce $16 million in general fund expenditures. Prior to his current roles, Johnson served as a Region 8 administrator for Central Rivers Area Education Agency. Johnson holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Northern Iowa and anticipates completing his advanced superintendent certificate in 2026. He has nearly 20 years of experience serving in K-12 leadership and instruction.
Smith currently serves as the shared superintendent for AGWSR and Gladbrook-Reinbeck CSDs. Under his leadership, both districts have maintained a steady unspent authorized budget while increasing staffing to expand programming for students. Smith also works closely with the school boards to review the unspent budgets annually and make informed staffing and financial decisions. Prior to serving as superintendent, he spent 12 years as a principal in three different school districts. Smith holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Northern Iowa and a certificate of advanced study from Iowa State University. He has nearly 20 years of experience serving in various K-12 leadership and instruction roles.
As a next step, the board and stakeholder interview teams will conduct formal interviews with each of the three finalists on February 6, 2025. The boards then plan to discuss the candidates and reach a final decision soon after the interviews.
The next superintendent will begin leading the New Hampton and Turkey Valley School Districts effective July 1, 2025.