North High School To Welcome Dr. Christopher Maniece

Dr. Christopher Maniece, currently at the Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin, will be joining DMPS to become principal of North High School.

North High School is excited to welcome Dr. Christopher Maniece as the new principal for the 2023-24 school year. As current principal Benjamin Graeber transitions to become the leader at Capitol View Elementary School, Dr. Maniece will take over at North.

Dr. Maniece joins Des Moines Public Schools from the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) where he currently serves as an assistant principal at East High School. Prior to that, he worked as a middle school counselor and Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS) coach for the district. Dr. Maniece also has experience as a research instructor at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.

“These roles have allowed me to work closely with students, staff, and families to build authentic relationships, create equitable academic schedules, work on systems which ensure a positive learning environment, as well as partner with teachers and staff to provide Social Emotional Learning strategies for all students” Dr. Maniece said. “In this new role at North, I will bring my commitment for creativity, student and staff voice, belonging, racial equity and social justice.”

Dr. Maniece has a bachelor’s degree with honors in psychology, and two master’s degrees – one in educational leadership and one in counselor education – from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. He received his doctorate in educational leadership from Edgewood College in Madison, WI.

“We are thrilled to have someone with Dr. Maniece’s background and education leading North High School,” interim Superintendent Matt Smith said. “As a former NHS principal, I can say this extraordinary community deserves all of the love and leadership Dr. Maniece will bring to this role.”

North High School is a diverse community with over 1,400 enrolled students, including 23% who are English Language Learners. The school has a growing footprint in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, with five-hundred course enrollments in eleven different subjects in the 2022-2023 school year. Almost one-fifth of North students are also involved in Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes at Central Campus.

Dr. Maniece will begin work on July 1, 2023, pending School Board approval.