ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The largest school district in the St. Louis area has a new superintendent.
The Special School District of St. Louis County announced the appointment of Michael Maclin as the district's next superintendent. His term will begin on Jan. 1, 2024.
Maclin has been with the district for three-and-a-half years as the department's executive director of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility and a member of the district's leadership team. He has also worked at the Parkway, University City and Maplewood-Richmond Heights school districts.
Maclin was unanimously approved by the district's board. He will be the first person of color to serve as superintendent in the district's 66-year history, the press release said.
The announcement comes less than a week after the district and its previous superintendent, Elizabeth Keenan, “mutually agreed to a separation of their employment relationship, effective immediately.” That agreement came nearly two months after Keenan was abruptly placed on administrative leave.
The district previously cited an "internal personnel matter" as the reason Keenan was placed on leave on Oct. 27. A separate internal memo issued that day reminded district employees about anti-retaliation policies and said any employee experiencing retaliation should contact the director of employee relations.
Maclin was serving as acting superintendent while Keenan was on leave.
According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Keenan made $264,000 during the 2022-23 school year.
The Special School District was formed in 1957 after St. Louis County voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum establishing a countywide local school district to support the educational needs of children with disabilities.
