Assistant Superintendent Chad Molley has been named superintendent of the Erlanger-Elsmere Independent Schools effective Aug. 1. He replaces Kathlyn Burkhardt, who announced her retirement after 11 years.
Molley assumes the position following a long, distinguished career in the Erlanger-Elsmere district, most recently serving as assistant superintendent, a position he has held for the past five years.
He also follows his father in the superintendent’s seat. His father, James Molley, had a 30-year career in the district that spanned many roles – most notably, superintendent. He retired in 2002.
Chad Molley
After beginning his teaching career with Kenton County Schools, Molley came to Lloyd Memorial High School, his alma mater, as assistant principal and athletic director in 2002. He remained in that position for ten years when he transitioned to Central Office to work as instructional coordinator, collaborating with the district’s schools to implement new state initiatives.
In 2015, he was named assistant superintendent and has remained in that position ever since.
“The pinnacle of what I’ve hoped to accomplish in education was to become the superintendent of Erlanger-Elsmere Schools,” Molley said. “With my deep ties to the community – having been a student here and having lived in this community for almost 48 years now – it really means a lot to me to be able to serve this school district, it’s students, our staff, and the cities of Erlanger and Elsmere.”
Molley was selected following a comprehensive search process, which included an open survey for community input, initial interviews by a diverse screening committee, and a final round of interviews with the Board of Education.
“The screening committee and the Board had several great candidates that went through the rigorous interview process, so this was not an easy decision,” said Robin Cooper, who is vice-chair of the district’s Board of Education and also served on the initial screening committee. “As a Board, we feel that Mr. Molley’s experience – coming from within the school system and working closely with Dr. Burkhardt – will be great assets. Chad cares about this community and our kids and he will work hard to do his best for our families.”
“My goals are to continue to build on the foundation that Dr. Burkhardt has laid,” Molley said. “We work to address the whole child – academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. I believe we do a tremendous job in this school district to serve our students and families, and it’s very important to make sure that work continues. I believe in it.”
In addition to Molley’s own impressive tenure, his wife, Tracy Molley, has worked in the district for the last decade and is currently a family resource coordinator.
