Bryon Hanson doesn’t plan to miss a beat when he steps into his new office at Raymond Central Public Schools on Monday morning.
He’s the new guy, which is exactly why it's important to him as the next superintendent to be out in the community as soon as he possibly can.
So, when Monday rolls around, Hanson plans to visit the communities that make up the Raymond Central school district — making introductions he hopes, with time, will turn into strong connections.
“Everybody wants what's best for their communities, and schools are an integral part of that,†Hanson said. “So, I just really want to make sure that the members of the communities that make up our school district know that we value them, we value their input, that we want to work together with them to create these experiences for our kids.â€
Hanson, originally from outside of Kansas City, will officially take over the role of superintendent on Monday following the retirement of Lynn Johnson, who served for three years as superintendent of the roughly 750-student district that serves the Lancaster and Saunders County communities of Agnew, Ceresco, Davey, Raymond and Valparaiso.
Hanson began his career in education as a high school social studies teacher in the Kansas City area. He then worked as an assistant principal and principal in Galena, Kansas, before moving to Atchison, Kansas, to become the middle school principal, and later the high school principal.
Most recently, Hanson served as the superintendent of Callaway Public Schools in central Nebraska for five years — a place he loved working.
“Callaway is just a wonderful community, and is a fantastic school district. I really enjoyed my time there, and I enjoyed the relationships that I developed with folks in that community,†he said.
While at Callaway, Hanson said he was proud to have accomplished several of his top priorities, including facilities enhancements, significant academic growth and increased community engagement through efforts to rebuild relationships with community members.
“Those are some of the things that I'm most proud of,†he said. “I can't say enough about the community of Callaway and the school district.â€
During his first year at Raymond Central, Hanson said he plans to do a lot of listening as he works to get to know the people around him. From there, he hopes to get a better understanding of what students, teachers and community members think the district is doing right, and what could be done better.
“The most important thing you can do when you start a new job in education is listen,†he said. “So I'm going to make sure that I'm visible, that I'm available and that I'm listening to our educators. I'm listening to our students. I'm listening to our parents and our community members.â€
For now, he plans to begin preparations for the start of the school year, and spend the remainder of the summer transitioning into his new role at the district. And while he’s excited to finally get started on Monday, he said he’s most looking forward to the first day of school.
“The first day with kids is like Christmas. That, for me, is the most exciting day of my year every year,†he said. “All the hard work we're going to be doing here in the month of July and early August is in preparation for that day. The job is a lot more fun when the kids are there. So I'm very much looking forward to it.â€
While Hanson says hello to Raymond Central, Johnson is saying a difficult goodbye. She served as the superintendent at Raymond Central for three years after originally retiring from Arlington Public Schools. Now, she’s ready to slow down and enjoy more freedom, but she will undoubtedly miss the school district, she said.
“I'm just grateful for the opportunity and for the people that surround and hold this district near and dear to their hearts,†she said.
Even though she’s sad to leave, she knows she’s leaving the district in good hands, she said.
“I think he will be an excellent asset to the district, and I can see he has a skill set and a personality that's going to fit our district just perfectly,†she said.
Hanson's salary will be $155,000 year, and his total pay package will be about $217,000 a year, plus a one-time $5,000 relocation reimbursement.