BISMARCK, N.D., April 5, 2022 – North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced that Dr. Connie Hovendick, the superintendent of the North Dakota School for the Deaf Resource Center, will be retiring at the end of June.

Hovendick has been the chief administrator of the School for the Deaf, which is located in Devils Lake, since August 2014. Before she became superintendent, she worked as a special education administrator and teacher in northeastern North Dakota.

The North Dakota School for the Deaf provides a comprehensive academic program for deaf or hard of hearing students from preschool through grade 8. Students in grades 9-12 attend Devils Lake High School with support from interpreters and teachers of the deaf.

“It is just so rewarding to work with the families and the clients that I work with. Our staff is exceptional. It’s been an honor to work with them,” Hovendick said. “It’s something different every day. It’s just been enjoyable.”

The Department of Public Instruction is advertising for Hovendick’s successor. Baesler hires and supervises the top administrators for the North Dakota School for the Deaf Resource Center and the North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind in Grand Forks.

“Dr. Hovendick has done an exemplary job serving North Dakotans who are deaf and hard of hearing,” Baesler said. “The school provides services to children and adults across the state. It operates a network of regional offices. It collaborates with public and private entities to provide services. It is an outstanding example of a state agency that does its best to serve the public.”