Hazelwood School District is handing the top job to a familiar local educator, naming Dr. Bonita E. Jamison as its next superintendent. The leadership change is set to take effect July 1, 2026, when current Superintendent Dr. Nettie Collins-Hart retires, capping a long run at the helm.
Jamison will take over after a nationwide search that produced three finalists and a public candidate forum earlier this spring. The move marks a major leadership shift for the suburban St. Louis district that serves Hazelwood, Florissant and nearby communities.
According to KSDK, the Hazelwood Board of Education voted to name Jamison, and Board President Sylvester Taylor II said the board is confident she is the right leader to guide the district into the future. Jamison told the station she was "honored to be selected" for the role. The vote followed finalist interviews and public feedback gathered during the search.
Track record at Maplewood-Richmond Heights
Jamison currently serves as superintendent of the Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District, where district communications credit her leadership with strong gains, including a 98.5% score on the state MSIP-6 review. Family messages and performance reports from the district outline those improvements and highlight Jamison's focus on equity, curriculum alignment and community engagement, according to the Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District.
Search process and timeline
District materials released during the superintendent search show the Hazelwood board worked with HYA (Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates) to vet candidates, held a public forum on March 31, and set a July 1 start date for the successful candidate. The district's announcement also notes that Jamison is a parent of a Hazelwood West graduate and underscores her experience in public education, according to Hazelwood School District.
Board and community leaders say the coming weeks will focus on transition planning so classroom operations remain steady while Jamison prepares to take the helm. Supporters point to her Maplewood-Richmond Heights record on performance metrics and family outreach as key reasons the board tapped her to lead Hazelwood into the next school year, as KSDK reported.
