Animas Public Schools launches superintendent search; board schedules public interviews

Animas Public Schools Board began a search for a new superintendent in mid‑February after longtime superintendent Jeff Gephart departed the position, and the board has scheduled interviews and public-facing search activities as part of the transition, the district says. The board action was announced following Gephart’s departure and marks the start of a formal selection process for leadership of the district headquartered at 1 Panther Boulevard in Animas.

District online materials, however, continue to list Jeff Gephart as superintendent and as the emergency contact for after-hours situations at (575) 313-4341. The Animas Public Schools contact pages also list grievance and complaint contacts as jgephart@animask12.net for the superintendent and whurt@animask12.net for School Board President William Hurt, and they provide the district main phone at 575-548-2299 and fax at 575-548-2388. Title IX complaints are routed via form and to Title IX Coordinator Hailey White at hwhite@animask12.net.

State board guidance and vacancy listings show Animas’ opening is on the statewide roster: the New Mexico School Boards Association lists “Animas Public Schools Superintendent Vacancy – Open Until Filled” among current superintendent postings. NMSBA guidance advises districts to move quickly after a vacancy; as the association puts it, “The board should meet immediately after the vacancy is made official and start the search and selection process... adopt a calendar of events that will lead to the selection of the new superintendent.”

Questions about whether the district has retained an executive-search firm remain unresolved in public materials. A broadcast news clip that covered local superintendent searches included the line, “The firm will conduct the search for a new district leader at no cost to the district except for expenses that have already been incurred,” but the clip did not explicitly name which district that arrangement referred to. The only explicitly named search firm in recent local postings is Leslie Nair of LNS Partners, which has been retained by Animas High School for a separate Head of School search.

Animas High School’s separate executive search illustrates how the region’s searches are unfolding: AHS enlisted Leslie Nair of LNS Partners, scheduled a campus visit for Nov. 12–14, set a community feedback period for Feb. 4–8, and listed Jan. 4, 2026 as the best-consideration deadline for applicants; AHS interim leaders for the 2025-26 year are Lori Fisher, Carlin Nielsen, Christine Imming and Libby Cowles following Rebecca Ruland’s July departure after three years. Those details apply to Animas High School’s Head of School process and are not the same as the Animas Public Schools superintendent search unless the district confirms otherwise.

The board’s announced interviews and public-facing activities mark the opening phase of the APS selection process; with the vacancy listed as open until filled, the district’s next public steps will determine whether the board follows NMSBA practices such as adopting a detailed calendar and considering consultant assistance. School Board President William Hurt is listed as a district contact at whurt@animask12.net, and the district’s mailing address remains PO Box 85, Animas, NM 88020.