Covington Public Schools welcomes new superintendent for the first time in 12 years

COVINGTON, Ky. — Covington Public Schools welcomed a new superintendent to lead the district for the first time in more than a decade on Thursday with a unanimous vote from the board of education.

Courtnei Flucas will take the reins from longtime superintendent Alvin Garrison after the board declined to reappoint him, according to our media partners at LINKnky.

Flucas has spent nearly 20 years in education, according to a release from the district.

"In Indianapolis Schools she led a broad portfolio that included special education, student services, mental health and wellness, family engagement, and school culture across a district serving more than 30,000 students in more than 50 schools," the release said.

WATCH: We speak one-on-one with the Covington Public Schools new superintendent

We spoke one-on-one with Flucas right after the board voted to appoint her.

"I'm elated and so honored," she said.

We asked Flucas what made her the right person for the job.

"I bring the experience of serving the whole child. All of the work I've done over the last two decades has really centered on thinking about how we ensure students are ready to learn as they enter the classroom, supporting their families so they too can be thoughtful, strategic partners in this work," Flucas said.

With districts across the country facing post-pandemic era funding shortages and increased costs across the board, we also asked how she would be a good steward of tax dollars afforded to the district.

"Ultimately, these dollars are designed to serve the students, and so every choice we make has to be centered on what is best for them. Having highly effective staff? That requires dollars. Having buildings that are well-maintained? That requires dollars," Flucas said.

Flucas takes over the position in the wake of the New Year's Day collapse of a portion of Latonia Elementary's gym roof.

Garrison faced criticism over what some saw as a lack of timely communication in the wake of that collapse, so we asked Flucas how she would maintain transparent operations during her tenure.

"I think that the transparency and communication have to be fluid and consistent so we're not only connecting when we have things to celebrate or when we have detriment to share," she said. "I expect to have ongoing communication with our school community."

Board chairman Tom Haggard said the hiring came at the end of an exhaustive and comprehensive search in partnership with people living in the community.

"We know we now have a leader who we're truly aligned with, and so we're going to have her back every step of the way, whatever she needs us to do," he said.

Flucas told us she would like to serve a long tenure within the district and was working to find a place for her and her family to settle in and become integrated into the community.

"I want to be here as long as the community will have me," she said.