Staffing Shuffle Continues at St. Joseph School District
By: KQTV
Updated: February 12, 2013
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) The St. Joseph School District is bracing for more changes at the leadership level.
The changes include Noyes Principal Dr. Adam Willard, Field Elementary School Principal Dr. Deborah Stephens and Dr. Matt Martz from Edison Elementary. Dr. Willard has accepted the role of superintendent in Stanberry.
Dr. Stephens is taking over as Central High School's principal following Dr. Marlie Williams' resignation. Williams is going to work for the Liberty School District.
Dr. Martz, who was Skaith's principal for 10 years and Edison's principal for two years is seeking other leadership positions.
The district also announced the resignation of Dr. Jeanette Westfall over the weekend as Benton High School's principal. She is also seeking other leadership positions.
The latest moves come on the heels of several other high profile changes. Superintendent Dr. Melody Smith, Cheri Patterson, the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, and Dr. Laura Nelson, the district's Assistant Director of Assessment, also announced plans to leave at the end of the school year.
District Board President Dr. Dan Colgan says there could be even more changes once a new superintendent is named.
"We will ask either him or her to look closely at the Central Office and become comfortable with the lineup and make some healthy decisions," he said.
Colgan says he's concerned about the rash of changes, but squelches any idea they are all related or that there are other problems in the district.
"We like to speculate, and sometimes we like to put more into a situation that's really there. People would say 'oh, gee,' people are leaving, they are deserting the ship, whatever the comment might be. In fact, this is a pretty normal cycle."
Colgan says part of the problem is that salaries in the St. Joseph School District are about 10% lower than in Kansas City and other area districts. He says it's a credit to those leaving who are taking other positions of higher responsibility at greater pay.
The changes include Noyes Principal Dr. Adam Willard, Field Elementary School Principal Dr. Deborah Stephens and Dr. Matt Martz from Edison Elementary. Dr. Willard has accepted the role of superintendent in Stanberry.
Dr. Stephens is taking over as Central High School's principal following Dr. Marlie Williams' resignation. Williams is going to work for the Liberty School District.
Dr. Martz, who was Skaith's principal for 10 years and Edison's principal for two years is seeking other leadership positions.
The district also announced the resignation of Dr. Jeanette Westfall over the weekend as Benton High School's principal. She is also seeking other leadership positions.
The latest moves come on the heels of several other high profile changes. Superintendent Dr. Melody Smith, Cheri Patterson, the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, and Dr. Laura Nelson, the district's Assistant Director of Assessment, also announced plans to leave at the end of the school year.
District Board President Dr. Dan Colgan says there could be even more changes once a new superintendent is named.
"We will ask either him or her to look closely at the Central Office and become comfortable with the lineup and make some healthy decisions," he said.
Colgan says he's concerned about the rash of changes, but squelches any idea they are all related or that there are other problems in the district.
"We like to speculate, and sometimes we like to put more into a situation that's really there. People would say 'oh, gee,' people are leaving, they are deserting the ship, whatever the comment might be. In fact, this is a pretty normal cycle."
Colgan says part of the problem is that salaries in the St. Joseph School District are about 10% lower than in Kansas City and other area districts. He says it's a credit to those leaving who are taking other positions of higher responsibility at greater pay.
