District Names New Principals, Administrators
By Stephanie Kiszczak, The Telegraph, Alton, Ill.
Feb. 19–EDWARDSVILLE — In a flurry of job switches throughout the district, principals have been named for the two new elementary schools.
All administrative changes will take effect July 1. The Edwardsville School Board voted unanimously at its Feb. 11 meeting to approve such modifications.
“We are excited for you and look forward to working with you,” School Board President James Speciale said.
Tara Wells will serve as principal of Goshen Elementary, a kindergarten-through-second-grade school. Martha Richey also will begin her duties as principal of Albert Cassens Elementary School, which houses grades third through fifth. The two new schools will debut in the fall for the 2008-2009 school year.
Wells has worked for the Edwardsville School District for seven years. She currently teaches sixth-grade language arts at Liberty Middle School. Wells also is interim principal at Nelson Elementary School, while Principal Tanya Patton is on medical leave.
Wells began her teaching career in the district as a third-grade teacher at Woodland Elementary School, where she taught for five years. In 2006, Wells participated in the District 7 Administrative Intern Program, and was a full-time intern for both Leclaire and Columbus Elementary Schools.
She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in elementary education and administrative certification, all from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Wells currently is working on a specialist’s degree in educational administration at SIUE, which she will complete this spring.
Richey has more than two decades of experience in education. For the past five years, she has been assistant principal at Lincoln Middle School. She also taught third grade for six years, fourth grade for three years and sixth grade for nine years. She has 23 years of education experience.
The district has recognized Richey more than once. She has been awarded the 1998 District 7 Good Apple Award for Middle School Teacher, the 2000 Special Good Apple Award for Outstanding Service to District 7 and the 2002 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award. She has a bachelor’s degree in health education from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s degree in elementary education, with an emphasis on reading, and an administrative certification from SIUE.
To fill Richey’s vacancy, a third-grade teacher at Woodland will become the new assistant principal at Lincoln Middle School. Pam McBee currently is enrolled in the District 7 Administrative Internship Program. She previously spent six years in Florida, where she taught kindergarten for two years and first grade for four years.
Craig Louer, assistant superintendent of personnel, will retire at the end of the school year. Nancy Spina, currently the principal at Woodland, will assume his position. Spina has served as principal at Woodland since the school opened its doors in 1997. Prior to that, Spina spent 11 years in the Alton School District — five years as a speech/language therapist, two years as coordinator of the At-Risk Program and four years as principal at Eunice Smith Elementary School.
As a result of Spina’s job switch, Tara Fox will step up to become principal at Woodland. Fox has been assistant principal at the school for three years. She has worked for the Edwardsville School District for 10 years, and has taught first, third and fifth grades and served as assistant principal. She spent two years in the district’s Administrative Internship Program.
Ryan Ketchum will take on the responsibilities of assistant principal at Woodland Elementary School. Ketchum currently teaches eighth-grade science at Liberty Middle School. He has been with the Edwardsville School District since 2007 and has participated in the district’s Administrative Internship Program.
Administrative changes also are taking place at Edwardsville High School, where Kim Jackson will be assistant principal. Jackson will assume this position and replace Brad Bevis, who recently was named athletic director for the school. Jackson currently works as a guidance counselor and is enrolled in the District 7 Administrative Internship Program.
The title for Dave Courtney, formerly director of business for the district, since has been changed to assistant superintendent of business operations. Courtney has served as business director since July 2001.
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