Dear Students, Parents, Faculty, and Community Members,

We want to inform you about an upcoming change within our school district. After six years of exceptional service, our current superintendent, Mr. Ronnie Kissire, will be retiring. We extend our sincerest gratitude for his dedication and commitment to our students, faculty, and the community throughout his tenure. He will be greatly missed.

We, your School Board, are committed to the future of Poyen School, a future focused on cultivating a learning environment that values academic excellence, emotional well-being, and the collective success of every child. We are committed to ensuring that Poyen School continues to provide an excellent education but also an environment where students feel emotionally supported, where teachers want to work, and where parents/guardians choose to send their children.

With this commitment in mind, we are honored to announce Mrs. Susan Kissire as our new Superintendent, starting July 1, 2024. Mrs. Kissire boasts an extensive 22-year career in education, notably 15 years as the highly successful Superintendent of the Bismarck School District (BSD). Under her leadership, the BSD was named one of the highest academically achieving districts in the State for the past eight years, receiving “A” letter grades from the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for many of those years, in addition to ranking in the top 5-10% of both performance and growth.

Before becoming a superintendent, Mrs. Kissire was the Curriculum Coordinator at BSD, preschool through sixth-grade Principal at Omaha, AR, and classroom teacher at Green Forest Elementary in Green Forest, AR. She received her Master's in School Leadership, Management, and Administration from the University of Central Arkansas, then went on to receive a second Master's in Curriculum Administration from Henderson State University, followed by her Educational Specialist Degree.

Off-campus, Mrs. Kissire serves on numerous boards and councils. She is the Vice President of the Arkansas Rural Education Association (Former Secretary), a member of the Dawson Cooperative Education Board of Directors (Former President and Vice President), the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) Activity District Secretary, Arkansas School Board Association Worker’s Compensation Board Member, Arkansas State Beta Council Lifetime Member, Hot Spring County Chamber of Commerce Board Member, Bismarck Lions Club Member (Former President), and Hot Spring County Superintendent Association Secretary. Mrs. Kissire was also chosen as the Arkansas Rural Education Association Superintendent of the Year in 2020, in addition to many other awards and accolades. She serves as a mentor for other superintendents through the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators (AAEA), and she is a member of the
AAEA Legislative Committee. Mrs. Kissire has presented at numerous State and Regional conferences and was recognized by the Governor for academic excellence with the BSD. She was a member of the DESE Statewide Coalition
creating the Statewide Playbook for the 2020 Post-Pandemic Return to School, and she also led the Professional Development Committee.

Mrs. Kissire’s philosophy on academic excellence aligns perfectly with ours, and we are so excited to welcome her to Poyen! We hope that you will reach out with any questions or concerns. We also hope that you will take the time to get to know Mrs. Kissire when she officially joins our Tribe in July. As your School Board, we appreciate your support and understanding during this period of transition. Together, we look forward to a bright and promising future under Mrs. Kissire's guidance.

Sincerely,

Poyen School Board