PINE ISLAND, Minn. — After moving from the southwest corner of Minnesota to the southeast, Barry Schmidt is starting his first year as superintendent of Pine Island Public Schools. The Pine Island School Board announced in May that Schmidt would take the role, which he began on July 1. ADVERTISEMENT“It was a new adventure and a chance to do something different,” he said about his decision to take the position at Pine Island. The school districts of Kasson-Mantorville, Byron and Plainview-Elgin-Millville also have new superintendents beginning this school year. The position at Pine Island became available after the district’s former superintendent, Tonya Constantine, took a role at the largest district in the state, Anoka-Hennepin, which has more than 38,000 students.