After months of searching and discussions, Nevada's second largest school district now has a new leader.
Out of the five finalists, school board trustees have chosen Joseph Ernst.
Trustees voted for Ernst 7-0 in a unanimous vote.
Ernst is the current chief continuous improvement officer for the school district, a job he has had since 2021. He has worked for the district since 1996 and has held a number of roles from elementary teacher to co-lead area superintendent.
"Mr. Earnst has a history of being a classroom teacher, a transformative principal that absolutely held accountability and results for his staff and students, and he's a real creative thinker. He loves kids and he also respects data," said Beth Smith, President of the Board of Trustees.
When making their choice, the board considered a public survey about the candidates. The survey found Mr. Ernst's strengths included professionalism and leadership, experience and knowledge, and relationship building.
The district said more than half of the people who took that survey were school district employees. A little more than a quarter were parents.
"I believe the leadership he's going to bring to us is with authenticity around that passion for kids, but the unrelenting progress we need to make as an education system," says Smith.
One of the biggest concerns throughout the selection was longevity in the position. Ernst tells us he's been working for the school district a very long time and intends to keep it that way long into the future.
"This is where my heart is, my family, and this is where I've dedicated a number of years of service, and this is where I am committed to," said Ernst.
Ernst says he is looking forward to working with the trustees, staff, and students, "This is a great school district. The resources and the opportunities are unprecedented, and I really look forward to embracing them together as a team for the benefit of our students."
As for the next steps, Ernst will be negotiating a contract with the board who says they could possibly vote on it in their next public meeting as early as the end of May.
