MARION — Quintin Shepherd, the superintendent of Linn-Mar school district, is leaving for a superintendent position in Victoria, Texas.
The Linn-Mar district announced Shepherd’s departure Wednesday.
“Linn-Mar is sad to learn and share the news of Dr. Shepherd’s departure yet grateful to him for his leadership during his tenure with the district,” a new release said. Shepherd, 40, was unavailable for comment.
He has headed the Linn-Mar district, where about 7,700 students are enrolled, for less than three years, starting in July 2015.
The Linn-Mar district expects to share plans on hiring his replacement “in the coming weeks,” according to the news release. Shepherd is paid an annual salary of about $215,000 at Linn-Mar. His new contract in Texas is expected to include a salary of about $240,000, according to the Victoria Advocate.
Shepherd will begin his new role with the Victoria district this summer. About 14,000 students are enrolled in the Texas district, which is about 100 miles southeast of San Antonio.
The Victoria district named Shepherd as its lone superintendent finalist in a news release Tuesday. In the release, the Victoria school board president said Shepherd “stood out because of the depth of his experience, commitment to collaborative learning, and deep belief that every student deserves an education that is geared specifically to each individual student and his/her needs.”
Before being hired in Linn-Mar, Shepherd was superintendent of Illinois’ District 69 near Skokie, and superintendent and principal at the Amboy Community Unit School District in northern Illinois. He has a doctorate from Illinois State University.
In the Texas school district’s news release, Shepherd said it was his “humble honor to be selected as the lone finalist for the Victoria Independent School District Superintendent position.” The Victoria district said a contract with Shepherd will be signed May 15.
“In the last several weeks learning about the community and the school district, I am very excited to continue the great work already happening and excited to live the VISD Vision every child, every classroom, every day!” Shepherd said in the Victoria release. “My family and I are eager to move to Victoria and begin meeting the community in earnest. We look forward to meeting you soon!”
In December 2016, Shepherd was named as one of the superintendent finalists in Lake County, Fla., northwest of Orlando. But he withdrew.
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