Greg Hodges will be the Marion School District’s new Assistant Superintendent of Operations, following approval of the hire during last week’s regular meeting of the Marion School Board.
Hodges, who has served as the district’s Special Education Director since 2021, will replace Dusty Duncan, who is retiring at the end of the school year. The move will take effect on July 1.
Dr. Glen Fenter, Marion superintendent, said he is excited about the skillset Hodges will bring to the position.
“We spent several weeks looking for the right person for this position, and we interviewed several excellent candidates,” Fenter said. “In Mr. Hodges, we have an educator with very strong experience in a variety of educational settings, including his leadership of our special education team over the past several years. We believe he has the strengths and skills needed to help us move the Marion School District forward in an impactful way.”
Before coming to Marion as Special Education Director in 2021, Hodges had stints as assistant superintendent at Jacksonville, principal and assistant principal at Greenbriar, and assistant principal at Stuttgart. Prior to those roles, he was a teacher and a coach at Marion. He holds degrees from the University of Mississippi, the University of Memphis, and the University of Central Arkansas.
As Assistant Superintendent of Operations, Hodges will oversee the directors leading many of the district’s support departments, such as facilities, IT, construction, security, food services, and more.
“I’m incredibly excited to be stepping into this new role with the district,” Hodges said. “I’m looking forward to doing everything I can to ensure our students and staff have all the support they need to grow and thrive in their academic pursuits.
“I am also heavily indebted to Mr. Duncan,” Hodges continued. “He is a great role model and has provided tremendous leadership in his time as assistant superintendent. I am grateful for the groundwork he has laid. It is truly an honor to be following him in this position.”
Duncan will be retiring at the end of the school year, following a career in public education that has spanned more than four decades. He has been with Marion for 29 years after serving 12 in our neighboring district, West Memphis.
“It gives me joy to consider all of the relationships I've had the opportunity to build over the years,” Duncan said. “Education is not an easy business, but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat."
Duncan also pointed out that years ago, he was the one who hired Hodges to his first position with the Marion School District.
“That was a while ago, but even then, I could tell that Greg had great leadership potential,” Duncan said. “It’s been exciting to watch his career progress, and I was pleased when he came back to Marion two years ago. I’m glad that he will be the one stepping into my role. I know he will do well.”
Fenter said Hodges and Duncan will be working together over the next several months to ensure a smooth transition. Hodges’ role as Special Education Director will be filled by Chrisy Young, who was hired by the Marion board in January. Young previously held the same position at the Van Buren School District. She will start on April 3.
“I don’t think there’s any debate that Dusty Duncan is leaving us with some pretty big shoes to fill,” Fenter said. “Dusty has served our district in so many different ways, from classroom teacher to athletic director to assistant superintendent. Dusty has always set high expectations for himself and for our staff, and is someone who has worked tirelessly to improve educational outcomes for our students. He has been a tremendous asset to our district, and we have been blessed to have him as part of our administrative team. We look forward to seeing Greg continue that tradition of strong educational leadership.”
The Marion School District is an innovative and growing district committed to helping every student find their unique path to success in school and in life. With more than 150 years of experience serving families in Crittenden County, the district offers a high school, a junior high, and three award-winning magnet schools. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.