Lyon County school superintendent resigning

Lyon County School District Superintendent Wayne Workman has announced he will resign from his position due to personal circumstances effective June 30, 2024.

Workman, who served as a Dayton High School administrator and as the school district’s human resources director and deputy superintendent before becoming its top official in 2015, stated in a letter submitted to the district’s Board of Trustees on Oct. 24 that due to family challenges and circumstances, he would resign at the end of the current school year.

Workman, speaking to the Appeal on Wednesday, said he felt LCSD was “on an excellent track with everything going on.”

“I, of course, will champion all of that as best as I can … and I feel we will have an effective transition,” Workman said.

His current contract was set to expire in June 2026. He said his circumstances have “nothing to do with the newfound friends at our board meetings,” referring to recent frustrations that have arisen from discussions.

“I feel we have a great history of growing our own internal candidates, and we have some internally who would certainly be excellent candidates,” he said. “I would fully support that. It’s proven pretty well, at least in my opinion, for the last couple of superintendents.”

Workman considers the district’s JumpStart program, with its dual enrollment options to help students graduate with an associate’s degree, as a highlight.

“Our (career and technical education) programs and the different offerings that we’re able to do in our rural communities, I would definitely consider those an achievement, and then we’ve also done things to help our special needs population,” he said.

The Practical Assessment Exploration System, a career exploration lab that gives targeted job skills to middle school and high school students, is new this year and Workman said he’s been proud to see it go into effect.

Workman said he considers LCSD a “lighthouse community” working with the families whose students are a part of the local schools, and he said he was honored to work with the district’s educators.

“All four of my children have or will graduate from this incredible school district having achieved their personal education goals and setting them up for a successful life,” Workman stated in his letter. “I am so honored and privileged to serve with the amazing educators throughout LCSD, including you, who devote so much energy, love, and compassion to our students every single day.”

During the November meeting, Board President Phil Cowee has asked for an agenda item discussing the superintendent vacancy to begin taking action, Workman told the Appeal.

“They fully want to get moving on this and get someone in place as soon as possible to have a number of months (for the search),” he said.