Educator Marlon R. Mitchell has been named superintendent at the Thea Bowman Leadership Academy in Gary, school board president Eve Gomez announced in a release.
The school board was expected to approve the appointment Tuesday evening.
Mitchell, who was director of human resources for the School City of East Chicago, has served as its interim superintendent since July 2023. On Monday, the board appointed Stephen Bournes as the district’s next superintendent.
Previously, Mitchell was Gary campus president at Ivy Tech Community College.
A release said Mitchell has more than 25 years as an educator and business professor and 30 years of executive leadership experience in diverse workforces. The release said he has an extensive background in business management, strategic planning, human resources, and talent development.
Mitchell is chairman and founder of the nonprofit Gary East Side Community Development Corporation, and the Institute of Leadership and Performance Improvement. Additionally, he has served as the education chair of the NAACP.
The contract posted on Thea Bowman’s website states the superintendent will be paid a base salary of $144,000, not to extend beyond a one-year agreement.
The superintendent is also eligible for performance bonuses up to $10,000 annually if the school improves a letter grade under Indiana’s A-F grading system, and if the school realizes an annual percentage in growth.
It’s been a busy year at Thea Bowman, founded in 2003.
In April, the State Board of Education approved Calumet College of St. Joseph as Thea Bowman’s new charter authorizer after its former sponsor, Education One, revoked its charter late last year.
In February, school officials broke ground on an $8 million classroom addition and new cafeteria.
The school has a K-12 enrollment of about 850 students.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
