Overview
- The Board of Education voted unanimously to approve Murillo, with her tenure set to begin July 1, 2026.
- She currently leads Council Bluffs Community School District and will resign there at the end of June after nine years.
- Dr. Cynthia Grant will continue serving as Independence’s interim superintendent for the remainder of this school year.
- An Independence native, Murillo described the move as a chance to return to the community where she grew up.
- District materials note her degrees from Evangel University, the University of Missouri–Kansas City and Baker University, reference a recent Education Insider accolade, and point to initiatives in Council Bluffs including an Early College Academy and a $37 million middle‑school bond.