Gregg Russell was formally named superintendent of the Nampa School District at Tuesday’s school board meeting, one year after his appointment as interim superintendent in February 2022.
Russell’s two-year contract begins July 1 with an annual salary of $159,420. Idaho’s highest paid superintendent is West Ada’s Derek Bub, who makes $210,000, followed by Boise superintendent Coby Dennis’ salary of $191,866. (Click here for a list of Idaho’s highest paid K-12 educators from the 2021-22 school year and prior to Bub and Dennis raises.)
Russell has more than 20 years of experience in education, having served in a variety of roles including teacher, principal, assistant professor, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning and most recently, interim superintendent of the Nampa School District. He has served the district more than 13 years.
Russell stepped in as interim following upheaval among trustees and the abrupt resignation of superintendent Paula Kellerer. She is now a vice president at Idaho Business for Education and leads its youth apprenticeship program.
During his time as a teacher and principal, Russell was named the Idaho Education Association Region 8 Outstanding Principal of the Year in 2012.
From 2014-2017, Russell moved to Northwest Nazarene University as an assistant professor in the Doceō Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning. During his tenure, he oversaw the implementation of Nampa Personalized Learning, a program designed to provide tailored learning experiences for students. He also co-created the HACK Model of Innovative Instruction and published articles on technology implementation. In 2017, he returned to the Nampa School District as assistant superintendent of teaching and learning under Kellerer.
“I’m honored by this opportunity to continue serving our families in the Nampa School District and am dedicated to achieving our vision of extraordinary learning experiences for each and every student,” said Russell. “This past year has been a great learning experience as I have worked with our community and district to turn challenges into steppingstones of success.”
Russell holds a bachelor’s in elementary education from Boise State University, a master’s in educational leadership from the University of Idaho, an Ed.S. in educational leadership – superintendent, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership. His research interest focused on principal leadership and change management in innovative learning environments.
For more information on Russell and his vision for the Nampa School District, visit the district’s website at www.nsd131.org.
