The Mequon-Thiensville Board of Education announced that the current assistant superintendent, Matthew Joynt, will serve as the next superintendent of the Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD).

According to the Board, as they were reviewing the possible options on filling the position, “it became clear that the earlier investments the district has made in growing our own talent and leadership provided us with the best option. We are pleased in the outcome and Matt’s selection.”

The board has been cognizant of the potential vacancy of the position ever since current superintendent, Demond Means, began looking at becoming the head of the Clarke County School District in Athens, Ga. Means accepted the new position at a meeting on May 4, where he finalized the contract with Clarke County.

“The Board of Education has been aware of this likely vacancy for some time, and we have been proactive and deliberate in our consideration of the options available to us to fill this important leadership position. Our focus was to identify an individual who would be aligned with and committed to our district’s core values and strategic plan, and to identify a person who also brought executive-level experience to the position. Matt Joynt fits that description perfectly,” the Board said in its statement.

Joynt has been with the MTSD since 1999 where he began his career as a teacher at Wilson Elementary. He then served as an assistant principal at Homestead High School and later accepted a principal position at Shorewood High School. In 2013, Joynt returned to MTSD and accepted his current position as an assistant superintendent. Joynt is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in the philosophy of educational administration, and is set to earn his Ph.D. in December of 2018 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

According to a statement issued by Stephanie Clark, Board of Education president, the board noted that it was impressed with “Joynt’s deep content knowledge across a broad spectrum of educational issues, systems and programs and that he combines his knowledge of curricular standards, assessments, instructional best practices and professional learning into a coherent, aligned system of support for continuous improvement.”

As Joynt transitions to becoming superintendent, the district will schedule a reception allowing the community to meet and get to know the next MTSD superintendent. He will take time to meet with parents, teachers and community members during the summer to collaborate with them about the future of education in MTSD.

“Matt sees the big picture, has the ability to prioritize what needs to be done and then builds the right team and the internal capacity to deliver. He has vision and knows how to translate that vision into action through others. He is a tireless champion for all students; he believes in his heart that we owe it to our children and families to be accountable for our actions and to always strive for the highest expectations for our teachers, principals and district leaders,” the Board said.