'It's humbling to me': Van Ayes named Hillsborough superintendent 4 months after Addison Davis' departure
TAMPA, Fla. - A day after the Hillsborough County school board unanimously voted to name Van Ayres the full-time Superintendent of Schools, he spoke publicly about the position.
During a news conference before an unrelated event at Town and Country Elementary School, Ayres discussed his priorities.
"A focus around literacy, many metrics to kind of hold us accountable as a school district around kindergarten readiness, third grade proficiency and graduation rates," Ayres said. "Those three right there, if you look at students that are proficient in third grade and then being able to graduate on time, is a direct correlation."
RELATED: Van Ayres unanimously selected as Hillsborough County Superintendent of Schools
Ayres was previously named the interim superintendent for one year following the surprise resignation of former superintendent, Addison Davis.
"It's humbling to me and an honor, and I look forward to that to the great work ahead that we have," he said. "It's just about continuing to build that strong culture. We got a lot of work ahead of us, but we've got a great organization and extremely excited to be able to lead this district over the next coming years."
Board members decided to remove the interim title after four months, noting the seemingly-unanimous support among staff and administrators district-wide.
A reason Ayres may be taking over earlier than expected is the potential need to ask the public to approve a tax that would raise teacher pay. It's similar to the referendum that failed in 2022 by less than 0.5%.
He'll also have to oversee the implementation of school boundary changes that go into effect next year, which includes the closure of several schools.
Ayres was born and raised in Tampa and has been a life-long educator with Hillsborough County Public Schools. Some of his past roles include the Chief of Strategic Planning and Partnerships and Deputy Superintendent of Schools.
Members of the school board approved a contract for Ayres, paying him an annual salary of $330,000 starting on November 2, 2023, and ending on December 31, 2027.