The school boards of the Lisbon Community School District and Springville Community School District have named Autumn Pino as their next shared superintendent. Her hire will become official pending a formal background check and school board approval at their next meeting.
Pino is the current principal of Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy, a magnet school in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. Under her leadership, the school received the 2020 National Merit Award of Distinction and the 2021 National Certification as a Demonstration School from the Magnet Schools of America.
In an introductory video, Pino noted she’s originally from Independence and has anchored her career working in schools in Eastern Iowa as an administrator for the past 19 years at both rural and larger school districts.
“I intend to lead your community as a servant leader and through a model of shared leadership, all while keeping students at the center of all we do,” Pino said.
Pino has set goals of building relationships with the board and all stakeholders within both school districts, learn more about the great things happening in both districts and champion the priorities and needs within both communities.
Pino’s focus at Roosevelt has been to take a multidimensional approach to learning, leading staff through paradigm shifts to ensure students remain at the center of the learning process. She has also spearheaded numerous community partnerships, developed building-wide systems and structures for shared leadership, used social media to share positive stories from the school, and engaged her staff in meaningful professional development activities.
“We are very pleased to announce that Autumn Pino will serve as our next shared superintendent,” said Jen Caspers, president of the Lisbon School Board. “Ms. Pino has proven herself to be an innovative, forward-thinking, and highly capable school leader throughout her more than 22-year career in education. We are excited to see the new ideas she will bring to both of our districts moving forward.”
“As a board, we are excited to welcome Autumn Pino as the next leader of our district,” said Kate O’Brien-May, president of the Springville School Board. “She brings a wealth of experience leading distinct school environments, with a focus on the student and ensuring staff have the resources and training they need to maximize student achievement. We look forward to the positive impact she will have on our school district community.”
In addition to her work in Cedar Rapids, Pino was an associate principal in the Pleasant Valley Community School District and a middle school principal in the Maquoketa Community School District. She holds a master’s degree in school administration and a bachelor’s degree in behavior disorders, both from Loras College in Dubuque.
The two boards worked with Grundmeyer Leader Services to conduct the search. The process has included a community-wide survey, asking district residents to provide their input on the qualities and characteristics they would like to see in the district’s next leader. The board conducted a first round of interviews on January 5th, and the board and stakeholder interview teams met with the finalists Jan. 14.
Pino will succeed current Superintendent Pat Hocking, who is retiring at the end of the school year. She will begin serving both districts effective July 1, 2022.