Austin Public School Board selects new superintendent

Jordan Shearer, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Feb. 19—AUSTIN — Dr. Joey Page, superintendent of Byron Public Schools, has been selected as the new Austin Public School District superintendent. The Austin School Board made the decision Thursday at special board meeting.

"The consensus was that Dr. Page has the qualifications and skills to move the school district forward. We feel he will come into the position with an open mind, ready to listen, and committed to finding the best direction for the district, and we look forward to working with him," board chairwoman Kathy Green said in an announcement.

The school board will begin contract negotiations with Page, and if those negotiations are successful, a contract is expected to be approved Monday at a regular school board meeting.

The pending start date for Page is July 1. He will fill the role made vacant by the forthcoming retirement of David Krenz, who led the school district for more than a decade after having started in 2009.

Page began his role with Byron Public Schools in 2017.

The position with Austin Public Schools will be a return home for Page, who is an alumni of the school district. In 2020, Austin Public Schools featured Page through its Alumni Spotlight section on social media.

"APS taught me to be community-minded so I can make a positive difference in the world," the spotlight quoted Page as saying.

According to his biography page on the Byron Public Schools website, Page received degrees in special education and elementary education at Dakota State University in Madison, S.D. He received a Master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Mankato State University before going on to earn a Doctorate of Education from St. Mary's University in the Twin Cities.

In addition to Austin, Rochester Public Schools also is in the process of searching for a new superintendent. Michael Muñoz has resigned but will remain on the job until the end of June. The board has indicated it likely will hire an interim superintendent so it can take a little more time finding a long-term replacement.