West Des Moines School Board Names Interim Superintendent

The West Des Moines school board has selected Associate Superintendent Lisa Remy to temporarily take the helm of the school district, according to a news release.

The school board voted unanimously at a special meeting Wednesday morning after interviewing Remy. The board also interviewed Hillside Elementary School Principal Robert Davis.

“Dr. Remy’s district-level experience will help us continue moving forward efficiently and effectively,” Board President Elizabeth Brennan said in the release. “The board and I look forward to working with her in the coming months.”

A handful of West Des Moines parents, teachers and school board members, spoke out in support of Remy’s appointment to the position at a regular school board meeting last week, according to the Des Moines Register.

The appointment is subject to negotiation and approval of Remy's employment contract.

Remy came to the West Des Moines Community Schools in 2000, serving as associate principal of Valley High School. She served as principal of Indian Hills Junior High before taking her current position as associate superintendent of human resources.

The move comes after former superintendent Peter Ansingh was abruptly fired earlier this month over reported differences of opinion with the board over how to best close a $2 million budget shortfall.

Some school employees said the school board had mismanaged the situation and are out of step with educators, leading to a culture of “distrust.”

Because of the tension, the school board may wait until after the September school board to begin a formal search for a permanent replacement.