An unexplained leave of absence for the new Sioux City School District superintendent ended on the same date he was issued a school administrator license by an Iowa educational agency.
Superintendent Juan Cordova was hired in the spring after a national search, and he officially began that role on July 1, 2025.
However, in the final days before the school year started, the Sioux City School Board members in a closed meeting on August 22 approved a leave of absence for Cordova.
Siouxland Public Media News last week asked district spokeswoman Leslie Heying if there was a specific length of time for the leave of absence. She replied that Cordova had returned to his work on August 28, after being away for nearly one week.
That was the same day that the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners issued an administrator license to Cordova, with an endorsement for Pk-12 grades.
School officials on Tuesday and Wednesday did not respond to inquiries for comment. Heying last week said she could provide no more information on this personnel matter.
The responsibility of getting necessary licensure for workers lies with the employees, not the school districts.
There was a vacancy in the Sioux City School District after Superintendent Rod Earleywine retired after three years. Cordova most recently was working in a Missouri school.
