Westfield‑Washington Schools superintendent to retire July 1; board appoints Dr. John Atha as successor

The Westfield‑Washington Schools Board of Trustees on Jan. 28 accepted Superintendent Dr. Kaiser’s retirement and appointed Dr. John Atha as the district’s next superintendent in a 4–1 vote.

Chair (speaker 3) moved to formally accept Dr. Kaiser’s retirement letter effective July 1, 2025; the motion was made, seconded and passed. Dr. Kaiser (speaker 4), who has worked 44 years in education, told the board he plans to retire July 1 and spend more time with family and personal pursuits: “After 44 years … I said retire effective July 1, and I have a stack of books.”

The board then moved to appoint Dr. John Atha as the next superintendent, with final contract approval to be set later. During discussion one board member (speaker 10) said she could not in good conscience vote yes because she had not been able to compare other candidates: “I feel like in my conscience, I can't vote yes and say that doctor Atha is the best when I've not seen any other candidates to compare him to.” Chair and other members acknowledged her concern but supported the appointment. The board recorded four votes in favor and one opposed; the motion passed.

In remarks after the vote, Dr. Atha (speaker 9) thanked Dr. Kaiser and the board and said he is “looking forward to partnering with you and collaborating with you, and leading this amazing district into the future.” He described his ties to the community (15 years) and praised the district’s teachers and staff.

The board’s announcement said contract terms for Dr. Atha will be finalized at a later date. No additional financial or contract details were provided at the meeting.

What happened next: with no further business, the board adjourned. The district will handle the superintendent contract and any transition details in subsequent meetings or staff work sessions.