From left: Southside Superintendent-Elect Jimmy Hodges; Southside Superintendent Dion Stevens (Images via Southside School District)
A major leadership transition is underway for the Southside School District, as the superintendent prepares to step down after an era of massive campus expansion and a familiar face readies to take the helm.
Superintendent Dion Stevens announced his retirement Monday night during a special school board meeting. His retirement will take effect at the end of the 2026-2027 school year.
To ensure a smooth transition, the Board of Education named Southside Charter High School Principal Jimmy Hodges as superintendent-elect for the upcoming school year. Hodges will move to the central administration office for the 2026-2027 school year to work alongside Stevens before taking full control for the 2027-2028 school year.
Stevens has led the district since 2021. Under his tenure, Southside underwent significant enrollment growth and major facility upgrades, including the construction of a state-of-the-art sports arena and expansions at both the junior high and high school campuses.
“Southside has a strong tradition of excellence, and this transition plan allows us to continue building on that success while ensuring stability for our students, staff, and community,” the board said in a statement.
Hodges is completing his 20th year in education and his 10th year with the Southside district. His decade at Southside includes roles as a junior high basketball coach, career development teacher, middle school assistant principal, and six years as high school principal.
The district will begin immediately looking for a new principal for Southside Charter High School. Officials said they will consider internal candidates first before opening the search to external applicants.
Additional details regarding the principal search will be released at a later date.
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