The board of the troubled West Ada School District voted unanimously last night to hire Mary Ann Ranells, former Lakeland School District superintendent and former deputy state superintendent, as the district’s next superintendent. Rannells will start the first week of January; she replaces former longtime superintendent Linda Clark at the head of the state’s largest school district.

Rannells had appeared at two public forums to meet the community, and spent two days touring the district and meeting with trustees, staff and students, according to the Idaho Statesman. She said she’s not deterred by the upheaval in the district, where trustees currently are facing recall efforts, and wants to focus on the children; Statesman reporter Bill Roberts has a full report here.