August 23, 2024
Dear Fort Zumwalt Community,
We have had a fantastic start to the school year and it was great to see everyone back in the buildings. The start of any school year is an exciting time and I always enjoy seeing our schools fill back up with faculty, staff, and students. As I start my 26th year in Fort Zumwalt, and 29th year in public education, it is truly an honor to work in and for such a great community.
It is out of my tremendous respect for the Fort Zumwalt community that I am writing today to let you know that I will be retiring at the conclusion of the 2024-25 school year. I notified the Board of Education of my decision at our August meeting and they accepted my retirement notice, effective June 30, 2025. I felt it was important to make this decision early so as to allow plenty of time to find my replacement and to provide for a smooth transition.
On both a personal and professional level, I consider it a great gift to have been a part of Fort Zumwalt School District. As some of you may know, both of my sons attended Fort Zumwalt schools for the entirety of their K-12 education. The quality of education and care they received from our faculty and staff throughout their education was outstanding. As an employee of the district, I know firsthand that our faculty and staff give that same experience to every student who walks through our doors.
Although my time as superintendent will be relatively short, I have been fortunate to work at the district level for the past 16 years. During that time, I have worked with an incredible group of school board members and fellow administrators. I am profoundly thankful to our current Board of Education, the district leadership team, and all of our staff for the support they provided to me as superintendent.
Lastly, I would like to thank you, the Fort Zumwalt community, for your support and dedication to our faculty, staff, and school district. Fort Zumwalt is a wonderful place to work and raise a family and our community support is what makes it all possible.
I am excited to see what the new school year brings and work with all of you to make this an outstanding year. Thank you again for all of your support over the years.
Sincerely,
Dr. Paul Myers
Superintendent
Press Release Follows
Myers announces final year with FZSD
Fort Zumwalt Superintendent Dr. Paul Myers announced to staff and the community Friday that he will be retiring from the school district at the end of the current school year.
“I felt it was important to make this decision early so as to allow plenty of time to find my replacement and to provide for a smooth transition,” Myers said in a letter to staff and the community.
Myers, who joined the district in 1999, is now in his 26th year with Fort Zumwalt, his 29th as an educator. When he first joined the district, he served at South Middle School as a School Psychologist and Educational Diagnostician before becoming an Assistant Principal at West Middle School. In 2005 he was named Principal at South Middle School, a position he held until moving into district level administration, where he has served in multiple roles and overseen Special Education, Health and Early Childhood Services, Student Personnel Services and Administrative Services, which includes Transportation, Student Nutrition and Custodial Services. His background in mental health services has informed much of his work with the district, including the launch of what has grown to be the Mike Clemens Center for Adaptive Learning.
“Although my time as superintendent will be relatively short, I have been fortunate to work at the district level for the past 16 years.” he said in his letter. “During that time, I have worked with an incredible group of school board members and fellow administrators. I am profoundly thankful to our current Board of Education and the district leadership team for the support they provided to me as superintendent.”
Myers, in his second year as superintendent, has guided the district through a unique time. He was the district’s first new superintendent in 38 years and took the helm as the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) assigned the task of researching, writing and implementing a new Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP). Together with the Board of Education, Myers’ focus has been the mission, vision and goals set forth in this guiding document.
“Our mission will remain the same, we’ve worked really hard to develop the CSIP and keep the focus of our future going that way,” says Erica Powers, President of the FZSD Board of Education. “The person who fills Paul's shoes will have to be ready to help us keep growing and expanding and be sure that everything is running the way that it should.” As the Board begins the search for a new superintendent, Powers is grateful for Myers’ service over the years.
“Paul has been a godsend to our district for so many years in so many ways,” Powers says. “He wasn’t always the face of the district. People might not know all that he did in the background. Paul has laid the groundwork and we have such a strong team that we can keep improving at this pace. He has been so big on making sure our staff know how much they are appreciated, on keeping us together and moving forward. Paul Myers is the epitome of what Fort Zumwalt is. We are all really sad to see him go, but we also understand what a great thing this is for him and his family.”