Welcome, Superintendent Rick Mills!

Manatee County schools have a new leader: Rick Mills, the former CEO of the Minneapolis School District.

Mills was sworn in Wednesday morning as the new superintendent for the Manatee County School District.

School board members were at the swearing-in ceremony. Judge Thomas Gallen administered the oath to Mills, who spoke about his previous military career and how he valued the change he made from military to schools a dozen years ago.

Mills told the gathering that he looks forward to leading the district, according to the Bradenton Herald. There has been a vacuum of leadership at the top.

The problems in leadership were underscored by the sudden resignation in September 2012 of Superintendent Tim McGonegal and the revelation that the district's general fund had a $3.4 million deficit.

Mills was hired by the school board in February, after a five-month search.

More coverage

• School District Superintendent Interview Set for This Week
• Rick Mills Selected as Schools Superintendent
• Charlotte County's Former Schools Chief Offered Interim Role in Manatee
• Schools to Undergo Independent Audit as Gagnon Named Interim Superintendent
• Budget Mistakes Lead to Large Deficit for Schools
• School Board To Pull Community Together in Superintendent Search
• School Superintendent Announces Retirement

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