The Hastings School Board made it official Wednesday night, March 31, welcoming new Superintendent Dr. Tamara “Tammy” Champa to the district.

Champa will start July 1, after a unanimous board vote to ratify her contract. The hiring comes after an extensive search and interview process after current Dr. Bob McDowell announced in early March he was walking away from the district’s top job to pursue other options.

Champa, current superintendent at the Pine Island School District, was praised among peers and community members in reference checks, and she has a background in school finance. At a May 23 meeting, the board voted to offer her a contract, and Director Mark Zuzek was lead negotiator.

“The process of negotiating the contract went very well. There were three different phone call conversations. All of them were amicable,” said Zuzek. “We followed the parameters the board has already preapproved. I’m happy to say we came in exactly where we expected to come in from a financial perspective.”

Champa’s contract is for three years, through June 30, 2026. The contract outlines her pay for the 2023-24 school year as $194,948, with an increase to $204,328 in year two and $213,708 in year three. She will be paid $10,000 for relocation expenses, provided she moves to a residence within the Hastings School District by June 30, 2024.

The hiring wraps up a busy three months for the school board. Between special meetings, work sessions and regular monthly meetings, the board has convened 18 times since March 1. Board Chair Lisa Hedin led a round of applause for the hiring following the contract vote.

“That round of applause is a welcome to Dr. Champa but also a congratulations to our board,” she said. “That was a very respectful, thoughtful process. As we talked about previously, building board development is doing hard work together, and we proved we can do hard work together. I’m very proud of our board for having done that.”

Champa attended the meeting.

“I am absolutely honored to be a part of this school district. Thank you for the trust you have instilled in me to lead and guide this district,” she said. “I’m so thankful and appreciative and excited to work with all of you.”