Driver named permanent superintendent of MPS

In a special board meeting Tuesday night, the MPS Board of School Directors voted to hire acting superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver as the permanent superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools.

Driver, who was named acting superintendent in June after having served as the district’s chief innovation officer, will take the post on Wednesday, Oct. 1 and is expected to sign a new contact for the position tonight.

The motion, which passed unanimously, was made by director Meagan Holman and was quickly seconded by multiple colleagues. Another motion passed calling off the search for a permanent replacement for Dr. Gregory Thornton, who left June 30 to assume the role of CEO of Baltimore City Schools.

Afterward, board members sounded positively giddy.

“This feels good,” Holman said.

Driver is the first woman in MPS history to hold the position of superintendent.