St. Louis County Schools board names Brian Masterson superintendent from out-of-district

The St. Louis County Schools joint boards have hired Brian Masterson as their new superintendent, the Mesabi Tribune reported last week, with board chairman Lynn Hilde saying, "The school board on Thursday evening hired Brian Masterson, according to Lynn Hilde, St. Louis County Schools board chairman." Mesabi Tribune coverage by Lee Bloomquist identified Masterson as the appointee and the selection as coming from an out-of-district pool.

Available reporting and the Mesabi Tribune excerpt do not include key personnel details about Masterson. The board meeting date beyond the Mesabi Tribune's phrase "Thursday evening," the vote tally, Masterson's prior employer or title, his hometown or residence, his contract length, start date, and salary were not included in the provided material and remain unreported in the excerpts supplied.

St. Louis County Schools is described in the reporting as the joint boards that coordinate some services across small districts in St. Louis County. That governance structure is separate from St. Louis Public Schools, and Mesabi Tribune attribution to Lynn Hilde served as the primary confirmation of the hire in the available notes.

This appointment arrives amid other superintendent movements in the region. St. Louis Public Radio education reporter Hiba Ahmad wrote on February 20, 2025 that the St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education installed Millicent Borishade as SLPS superintendent without conducting a search, a move board member Emily Hubbard noted after Borishade had served as interim following the firing of Keisha Scarlett for "misuse of district funds and violating hiring policies," an action Scarlett has denied. The STLPR item also noted three SLPS board seats were up for election in April, with Matt Davis and Vowell not seeking re-election and Toni Cousins listed among candidates; the SLPR story was updated to add comments from Matt Davis and new board member Ben Conover.

Nearby district personnel changes include Mehlville School District's announced appointment of Dr. Schwaegel, who has served as Director of Mehlville Early Childhood since 2022 and will begin a new role on July 1, 2026, replacing Mr. Adam Smith, who is retiring at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Mehlville Superintendent Dr. Jeff Haug said, "Dr. Schwaegel is a proven leader with an exceptional background in special education and the many other facets she will be responsible for in this new role," adding, "With her strong work ethic, relationship‑building and educational background, I have no doubt Dr. Schwaegel will be successful in her new role."

For the St. Louis County Schools hire, Mesabi Tribune coverage by Lee Bloomquist and the statement from board chair Lynn Hilde are the principal on-record items available in the provided material. Details about Masterson's background, the board's selection process, and the official contract remain to be published in board minutes or an official release from St. Louis County Schools; those documents will provide the fuller record of the out-of-district appointment and the board's rationale.