Newly selected WACO and Highland Superintendent Spencer Lueders is looking forward to his time in southeast Iowa. He shares he wants to achieve three goals in the position. Lueders wants to build relationships, continue having success in areas where they are doing well, and find out where the schools are struggling and improve upon those areas. Lueders expands on those priorities, “The first one is to build relationships with all stakeholder groups within both communities. That’s essentially goal number one one, is to start building those relationships with all those families, students, staff and all the community members involved, that’s priority number one. Number two is building upon the great things that we are doing. To learn about the great things we are doing. And to learn about the great things is by asking questions, looking for feedback. Looking at the overall review of the entire systems across the districts. And then finding collectively with other people how we can build upon the things that are going really well and what are some areas that we can work together on improving.” 

Lueders is currently the intermediate 4-6th grade principal at Central Dewitt Community School District. He will officially take over the position of superintendent for the Highland and WACO Community School District on July 1st, 2025. Lueders will replace Ken Crawford who is retiring after the school year. 

Hear the full conversation KCII News had with incoming WACO and Highland Superintendent Spencer Lueders on today’s In Touch With Southeast Iowa program.