The ConVal School District’s superintendent will be leaving this summer to lead a school district in Pennsylvania.

According to a news release issued by the Kennett Consolidated School District in Kennett, Penn., the school board will vote on the appointment of Dr. Kimberly Rizzo Saunders as its next superintendent at a special meeting. She is expected to begin on Aug. 23. Rizzo Saunders was not immediately available for comment.

“Her experience and visionary leadership made her our ideal candidate to lead KCSD forward,” said David Kronenberg, president of the KCSD board of directors, in the news release. “We are confident that she will bring outstanding results to our students, staff and community.”

ConVal Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders. (Photo by Helfried Zrzavy)

Rizzo Saunders joined ConVal in 2009 as assistant superintendent and became superintendent in 2016. She was recognized as a finalist for the 2024 National Superintendent of the Year by the School Superintendents Association (AASA) and received the Superintendent of the Year award from the NH School Administrators Association.

“For almost three decades, I have been privileged to work within various education settings, each experience shaping my understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that lie within a school community,” Rizzo Saunders wrote in a welcome message.

“I firmly believe that by working together — educators, staff, students, families, board members and community members — we can continue to develop a school system that not only meets the diverse needs of our students but also prepares them to thrive in an ever-changing world.”

The Kennett Consolidated School District in the southeastern part of Chester County, Penn., serves approximately 4,000 K-12 students, noted the release.

— JAMES RINKER/KEENE SENTINEL