St. Johns board names Dr. Brennan Asplund new superintendent, authorizes contract talks
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Summary
The St. Johns County School Board voted to offer the superintendent position to Dr. Brennan Asplund and authorized the chair to begin contract negotiations; board members said the unanimous decision followed a months-long search and public input process.
The St. Johns County School Board voted to offer the district’s top job to Dr. Brennan Asplund and authorized the board chair to begin contract negotiations, the board announced during its May meeting.
Board members said the choice followed a months-long search that included 3,478 community survey responses, two community forums, focus groups and a multi-stage interview process run with the Florida School Boards Association. "I'm prepared to nominate Dr. Brennan Asplund," board member Beverly Slough said during the meeting. Dr. Linda Thompson seconded the nomination; Chair Tony Coleman said the motion authorizes him and board counsel to open contract negotiations.
Why it matters: The superintendent leads policy, budget and daily operations for the St. Johns County School District, which serves the county’s students and manages a multimillion-dollar budget. Board members emphasized continuity, local knowledge and the ability to "hit the ground running" when explaining their vote.
Board members described Asplund as a leader with district-level and county superintendent experience and cited his familiarity with local schools. In remarks to the board after the vote, Asplund said he was "very humbled and honored" and promised to "continue to faithfully serve St. Johns County as we move forward." Chair Coleman confirmed the board would recess briefly to contact Asplund and then resume to outline next steps.
Process and next steps: Board counsel reminded members that the selected candidate must complete statutory preemployment checks. Contract negotiations will set a start date, a transition plan and compensation; any tentative agreement will return to the board for final approval. The board’s legal advisor noted that the process followed statutory and consultant-guided steps that produced four finalists who were interviewed on May 13–14.
Public reaction and context: During public comment, a resident asked for a full accounting of the superintendent search costs once the process concludes. Board members and attendees offered congratulations to Asplund and thanked outgoing Superintendent Tim Forsen for his years of service.
The vote was announced as carried; the chair instructed staff to begin the contract negotiation phase and to present the tentative contract to the board for final approval.