Keith Rittel named as new Provo School District superintendent

PROVO — The Provo School District Board of Education has named Keith Rittel as the district's next superintendent.

Rittel currently serves as the deputy superintendent of Clover Park School District in Lakewood, Wash.

"It’s a great honor to have been chosen to lead Provo’s schools," Rittel said in a prepared statement. "The community and its resources are ideal for developing students. Parent support is excellent. I share the district’s vision for the future, and exceptional and diverse programs are in place. I look forward to getting to know the people in the community and working to develop a long-term relationship with the fine educators and staff in the schools."

Rittel will succeed interim superintendent Robert Gentry, who has served at the post since Randall Merrill retired in January. Prior to his current position in Washington, Rittel was an assistant principal at East High School in Salt Lake City and a teacher at Woods Cross High School. He has also worked as a teacher in British Columbia.

Rittel received a bachelor's degree from the Eastman School of Music in New York, where he trained as a professional trombonist. He performed frequently with the Utah Symphony and Mormon Tabernacle Choir while completing a master's degree in Education Administration at the University of Utah. Rittel is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Seattle Pacific University.

"Keith Rittel is a proven and successful leader of schools," school board president Kristine Manwaring said in a prepared statement. "He has a deep understanding about effective teaching and learning. As a school board, we are delighted to welcome him to our community."

E-mail: benwood@desnews.com