DES MOINES, Iowa — It’s been a year and four months since Dr. Ian Roberts moved to central Iowa and assumed the role of superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools.

Roberts’ personal story is steeped in hard work, faith, and discipline. WHO 13’s Courtney Greene recently talked with Roberts and shares how he came to lead Iowa largest public school district.

“My mother had a saying, if you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans. Being in Des Moines, IA was never part of any plan personally or professionally,” Dr. Roberts said.

A friend and mentor suggested he look at a superintendent position posted at Des Moines Public Schools.

“My immediate reaction was Des Moines, Iowa? I said, ‘Really? I’m not interested.’”

He agreed to look at trends and performance data over the past five years and was intrigued by the cultural and linguistic diversity. A recruiter put him in touch with the school board, and Roberts was inspired by their deep commitment to the community and the students, but one person sealed the deal.

“I always say I came to Des Moines, Iowa, and to serve in Des Moines Public Schools because I met a woman,” he said.

That woman was Teree Caldwell Johnson, former board president and Des Moines’ longest serving school board member. She served nearly 20 years.

“My journey to Des Moines, Iowa is one that is anchored in faith, a power greater than I am, guiding my steps here and because of that amazing conversation with the board and more specifically, Teree Caldwell Johnson.”

Roberts received an offer to lead Iowa’s largest school district. He accepted the position without hesitation. However, he was in the third year of a five-year contract at Millcreek Township, a high-performance high school in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he also served as superintendent.

“I decided to break my previous contract with all sorts of financial consequences, but I’m also reminded you get so much more joy going after your passion.”

Roberts was introduced to the Des Moines community and started as the 15th superintendent on July 1, 2023. A few days later, Caldwell-Johnson reached out to Roberts and asked to speak with him.

“We met four days later, and she shared with me her diagnosis of stage 4 cancer,” he said. “I’ve even said unapologetically she’s the best mentor I’ve ever had in 25 years in professional education. The last interaction I had with Teree, she was in hospice and she spent two hours with me, and her family was so gracious. She said two things before we departed: ‘I prayed for you for many years.’ She said, ‘Dr. Roberts, this community, this community prayed for you to be here.’ I don’t ever take that lightly or for granted.”

Caldwell- Johnson died March 31, 2024 — two months shy of Roberts’ first anniversary as superintendent. Roberts is eternally grateful for the time they had, although brief.

“Not a single day that goes by I don’t feel as if in addition to all the important reasons I have for doing this work it’s to honor the legacy of an amazing, amazing, amazing human being who played a critical part in my being here.”

Roberts grew up in Brooklyn, New York and spent summers with his grandparents in Guyana in South America. On Tuesday, Courtney will share her conversation with Roberts about his upbringing, and how excellence was instilled in him at an early age — from academics to athletics, leading him to education and the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in track and field.

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