Dr. Steve Harrison has been selected as the next superintendent of the Neenah Joint School District following approval by the Board of Education at a special meeting on April 15.
Harrison comes to Neenah from the Appleton Area School District where he has worked since 2015 and been the Assistant Superintendent for Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction for the past five years. Harrison will replace Dr. Mary Pfeiffer, who is retiring after 15 years as the Neenah superintendent. His duties officially begin on July 1.
“In many ways, this feels like I’m coming home,” said Harrison, whose mother, Barb, was a reading specialist at Spring Road Elementary School in Neenah from 1981-2003. “I spent a lot of time in my mom’s classroom while growing up and it fueled my desire to work in education. It’s exciting to come back to a district that has given so much to my family. It’s really a dream come true.”
In his role in Appleton, Harrison oversaw assessment, curriculum and instruction for all levels of the District after previously serving as the Continuous School Improvement Coordinator for Math, Science and Health. While in Appleton, Harrison oversaw a continuous school improvement process that aligned goals, systems and structures across all 23 schools in the District. He also led a literacy audit at the early elementary level and a full program review of the District’s entire English Language Arts program that has led to improved literacy skills across the District.
Harrison was an Assistant Principal at Oshkosh West High School for two years and also taught science at Oshkosh North and West High Schools from 2003-13. He began his teaching career as a science teacher at Badger High School in Lake Geneva in 2000. Harrison holds a Ph.D. from Cardinal Stritch University and Master’s Degrees from UW-Milwaukee and UW-Oshkosh. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Bacteriology from UW-Madison. Harrison has been an ad-hoc instructor at UW-Oshkosh since 2015.
“Steve brings a fresh vision and energy to Neenah,” Board of Education president Brian Epley said. “His strong background in curriculum and instruction set him apart as a candidate. He also brings an inclusive mindset to build a connected culture across the entire District.”
“I’m really looking forward to connecting with students, families and community members to build a foundation of trust and transparency,” said Harrison, noting his experience supporting students and staff at all levels of education from early childhood through high school. “Neenah is a special place and it’s where I want to be to finish my career in education.”
Harrison is the 10th superintendent in the Neenah Joint School District since E.M. Beeman was the inaugural superintendent hired in 1903. The search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates assisted with the process. The firm organized community focus groups and surveys and held a “Day in the District” for each of the three finalists.
Harrison resides in Winneconne. He and his wife, Margo, have four children: Grant (21), Will (19), Dayne (18) and Olivia (11).
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