Dugger named MFL MarMac superintendent/elementary principal
Tim Dugger
The MFL MarMac School Board has named Tim Dugger as the district’s next superintendent and elementary principal.
Dugger’s educational background consists of a bachelor’s degree in elementary and middle school education from University of Northern Iowa, master’s and specialist degrees in school administration from Drake University.
During his career, Dugger has served as the superintendent at Postville, shared superintendent between North Winneshiek and Postville, superintendent/principal at North Winneshiek, elementary principal and curriculum director at MFL MarMac, in addition to a teacher in the Decorah and MFL MarMac school systems. He also coached football and basketball at various levels throughout his career.
Dugger recently served as the superintendent of the Postville Community Schools, where the district transitioned the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program from the Postville Child Care Center to the school district along with an early childhood special education program, established a junior kindergarten class, initiated the at-risk program, received the statewide computer science grant for the elementary school, divided the talented and gifted into two separate positions for JK-8 and 9-12, established the elementary positive behavioral support teaching position, helped develop a model English language program to educate non-English speaking students and implementation of the Teacher Leadership and Compensation Plan. Both the Postville elementary and junior/senior high have acceptable levels for the Iowa School Performance Profiles.
Financially, the Postville District has a stable enrollment with an increased general fund solvency and unspent balance ratios. The district has a voted PPEL through 2033 and the Instructional Support Program through 2031. Finally, the district’s bond debt will be retired in 2025.
Dugger is a member of the State Administrators of Iowa and was nominated as superintendent of the year in 2019. His leadership roles have included being a member of the Iowa High School Girl’s Union Advisory Board, the leader of the Keystone AEA Superintendent’s group for eight years and leader of the Northeast Iowa Insurance Trust for three years. Finally, Dugger helped the North Winneshiek School District through the consolidation process with the Decorah School District prior to 2019.
Board members worked with Grundmeyer Leader Services to conduct the search. The board and stakeholder interview teams conducted final interviews with each of the four superintendent finalists on Jan. 16.
In a statement, MFL MarMac School Board President Gina Roys thanked the committee members involved in the interview process.
“We had a great group made up of parents, staff, students and community members. The feedback we received from them was a tremendous help in our decision,” she said.
With the retirement announcements of both the district’s superintendent, Dale Crozier, and elementary principal, Kathy Koether, Roys said the board saw an opportunity to potentially combine these positions, as long as they could find a highly and uniquely qualified individual to step into the role.
“Because we currently share our superintendent with Eastern Allamakee, combining these roles would help cover any loss in funding once the sharing agreement ends after this school year,” Roys explained. “We are excited to say our chosen candidate has extensive successful superintendent and elementary principal experience and has held the dual role of superintendent-elementary principal in the past for many years. He has also taught elementary students and will be a familiar face as he returns to MFL MarMac.”
“I would like to be the first to welcome our new superintendent-elementary principal, Mr. Tim Dugger, back to MFL MarMac and am very excited to work with him to ensure the success and future of our district,” Roys concluded.
Dugger will begin serving the MFL MarMac Community School District effective July 1, 2023.
