FAYETTEVILLE -- Incoming Fayetteville School District Superintendent Matthew Wendt received a quick, "Welcome to Holt," from Assistant Principal Richard Guthrie before a brief tour of the school Friday morning.
Holt Middle School was the sixth stop for Wendt and current Superintendent Paul Hewitt.
"There's so much pride in this district," Wendt said. "People are incredibly gracious. They are very committed to kids. We haven't found anyone that didn't love their school and think they were the best."
The Fayetteville School Board voted unanimously Jan. 26 to hire Wendt to succeed Hewitt, who is retiring. Wendt last week signed a three-year contract with the board, which begins July 1, for an annual salary of $218,000.
District officials made plans for Wendt and his wife, Dawn, to spend time this week meeting with staff members, students, parents and community members. The couple arrived Wednesday.
Wendt, a 26-year educator who began his career teaching in Kansas, has been a superintendent or assistant superintendent for four school districts, including his current position as superintendent of the nearly 18,300-student Community Unit School District 308 in Oswego, Ill. The Fayetteville School District has roughly 9,650 students.
Wendt wanted to begin meeting his new constituents as soon as possible, he said.
Friday's itinerary also included Wendt attending the Colors Day pep rally at Fayetteville High School, as well as basketball games there Friday night. Wendt also planned to attend today's Arkansas Razorbacks basketball game at nearby Bud Walton Arena.
Wendt earned a master's degree in educational administration in 1996 from Kansas State University. He noticed Friday that the Kansas State University purple he has in his wardrobe matches the purple school color of Fayetteville High, he said.
Wendt also earned a doctorate in educational leadership and administration in 2005 from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where his son, Ryan, is a student.
Hewitt and Wendt arrived at Holt at 10:45 a.m. Friday and still had several more stops to make in their quest to visit all 15 schools in the district.
Guthrie showed Wendt an English classroom and explained the layout of the school.
"We're in a pod system," Guthrie said, describing how classrooms are grouped throughout the building. "Four classrooms form a little city."
Principal Matt Morningstar caught up with the ensemble as Guthrie led Hewitt and Wendt to see fifth-graders eating lunch in the cafeteria.
Guthrie grabbed a microphone to introduce Wendt to the students in the cafeteria.
Wendt took time to shake hands with students and teachers. After returning to the front of the cafeteria, Guthrie made Wendt and Morningstar laugh when he told them some fifth-graders noticed similarities in their appearances and wondered if they were brothers.
Both men are bald and wear glasses.
Metro on 02/06/2016