P: (605) 367-7900
Superintendent of Schools
The Office of the Superintendent is the chief executive office of the School District, providing overall leadership for the school system. The Superintendent, with the assistance of two assistant superintendents and various Senior Directors and Directors maintains a vital staff and strong curriculum for the K-12 program and early childhood; provides special programs for children of diverse backgrounds and abilities and support services such as transportation, libraries, and counselors. The Superintendent manages 24 elementary schools, six middle schools, four high schools, an alternative school, a career technical education academy, and other related buildings; prepares the annual budget and oversees the fiscal management of the District; is responsible for making policy recommendations and implementing adopted Board policies; and serves as chief liaison with the community-at-large.
Dr. James Nold has served in the field of education for the past 34 years, assuming his current role as Superintendent of South Dakota’s largest school district in July 2025. Prior to his current appointment, he served as the District's Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services for nine years.
Dr. Nold served as the Principal of Washington High School from 2006 to 2016. He has also been an Assistant Principal, Teacher, and Coach. He received his Doctoral Degree at the University of South Dakota after earning his Master’s Degree at South Dakota State University, his Specialist Degree at the University of Sioux Falls, and his Bachelor’s Degree at Augustana University, where he also competed in collegiate wrestling.
Demonstrating his deep beliefs that all children deserve educational opportunities, Dr. Nold considers it a great honor to have twice led an education team to Ethiopia to establish an English Literacy program at schools that serve the poorest of poor in that country.
He and his wife Tammy, a school counselor, have two children, Hailey, a clinical counselor for a mental health agency in Minnesota, and Riley, a Physics Doctoral student at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Jamie Nold
Superintendent
