New Principal Chosen For Valley High School

WEST DES MOINES, IA — Valley High School looked to its current school leadership in selecting its next principal and has chosen David Maxwell for the job. Maxwell has been associate principal at Valley for the past 13 years.

The transition becomes officials July 1, though Maxwell will work closely with retiring Valley Principal Tim Miller before taking over. Maxwell was a dean of students at Hoover High School in Des Moines before moving to the West Des Moines school district. He has taken a lead role in building Valley High School’s culture and in the school’s equity work, an announcement on the district website says.

Maxwell’s strengths include an “ability to look at situations from all angles (and) listen to all involved parties to make sound, well-informed and wise decisions," according to a reference noted in the announcement.

Maxwell was selected by the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce as a 2017 Co-Citizen of the Year for his efforts around equity and inclusion. He was also honored as the Mary McLeod Bethune Educator of the Year in 2011.

Maxwell was selected from a pool of 22 applicants for the principal's position and a search firm helped West Des Moines officials with the selection and hiring process. Five candidates were from outside of Iowa, and six candidates had 12 or more years of administrative experience. All applicants were screened and multiple initial interviews were conducted before two finalists were selected for formal interviews with students, staff, parents, teachers and administrators. Feedback from the formal interviews informed and affirmed the superintendent’s decision to offer Maxwell the position, the news release said.

Photo via West Des Moines schools