Middletown City Schools announces first woman superintendent
Middletown City Schools Board of Education announced its new superintendent Monday evening: Deborah Houser. Houser was the district's assistant superintendent since 2021 and has served Middletown City Schools for 15 years.
Houser is the first woman to lead Middletown City Schools full-time in the district's 170-year history, according to Monday's news release. She's replacing Marlon Styles, who announced his resignation earlier this month after serving as superintendent of the district for five years. Styles is taking a new role as a partner at the national nonprofit Learner-Centered Collaborative.
“My goal as Superintendent is to ensure that the district doesn’t miss a beat. I look forward to continuing to serve the amazing Middie community while guaranteeing the new strategic vision comes alive,” Houser said in Monday's news release.
Houser has more than 30 years of education experience. Most recently as assistant superintendent, Houser worked to implement Middletown's "Passport to Tomorrow" plan dedicated to helping students develop transferable workforce skills. The initiative also focused on building relationships with business partners that create real-world experiences for students.
'We have to take action.' State, local leaders know why teachers quit. Can they fix it?
“In Deb we not only have a known dynamic leader, we have a builder. She has a track record of building relationships with staff and community leaders and building curriculum. The (board of education) knows the talent we already have in someone like Deb,” School Board President Chris Urso said in Monday's news release. “The staff and students know her, and she offers continuity for (Middletown City School District). We feel confident that the future of (the district) is in good hands."
Houser will take on her new role after Styles' last day, on Feb. 28.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Middletown City Schools announces first woman superintendent
