MT. JUDEA — Deer/Mt. Judea School District Board of Education meeting minutes show Joshua Blain Lawrence was hired as the district's new superintendent in a special meeting held last June 19 at the Deer campus. He was hired for the 2025-2026 school year.
Lawrence was present at the school board's regular meeting held Monday night, July 7, at Mt. Judea. The meeting was moved ahead a week because Lawrence said he would be out of the district at the normal monthly meeting time, the second Monday of the month.
Former Superintendent Bill Mizaur apparently resigned as the superintendent's position opening was posted on the SchoolSpring website on June 5. Lawrence said he had applied for and interviewed for the Deer School principal's position which was also recently filled. He said the board contacted him about the superintendent's vacancy and he accepted the position.
Formerly of Manila, Lawrence was employed as a high school assistant principal at the Rivercrest School District. He said his wife, Morgan Johnson Lawrence, is from the Bergman area. She was hired as a math teacher for the Deer campus at a board meeting held last June 23.
The board met in special session again July 1 to change the superintendent's name on school district bank accounts and to make Lawrence the head of school district security. The board also approved the renewal of $1,000 stipends for current Commissioned School Security Officers. A CSSO is a school employee certified as an armed security officer specifically trained and licensed to work in schools in Arkansas. They are responsible for providing a safe and secure environment for students and staff by monitoring school premises, responding to emergencies and enforcing safety protocols.
