Clark County board approves 9-month contract for Dustin Howard as superintendent

The Clark County Public School Board approved a contract with Dustin Howard to serve as superintendent of the Clark County School District for a nine-month term and authorized the board chair to execute the employment agreement.

The motion, made during a special-call meeting, said Howard would serve for a term of nine months beginning the day of the meeting and that salary terms are included in the contract and "available to the public." The motion was seconded and the chair announced, "Motion carries." The transcript does not record a vote tally.

The contract language also states that the signed agreement "shall be made part of these minutes." The board did not provide a numerical vote count in the public remarks recorded in the transcript; the motion was moved by a board member and seconded by another board member, as recorded in the meeting audio.

After the vote, the board publicly announced Dustin Howard as the district's new superintendent and Howard addressed attendees. Howard said, "I am tremendously honored for this privilege to lead the Clark County Public School System. I love this community. I love the people in this room. I love our kids." He added, "The answer is here. The answer is KDE," and urged the community and staff to work together for students.

The board did not discuss details of the district's search process, any successor plan, or a specific effective date beyond the motion's statement that the nine-month term begins on the day of the meeting. The employment contract and the minutes are the only items the motion identified as containing the specific salary and term language.

The board adjourned the special-call meeting after completing the employment action and the formal announcement.