Education

• High School Diploma - Leon, KS High School, 1971
• Associate of Arts Degree - Butler County Community Junior College, El Dorado, KS, 1973
• Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Education - Fort Hays State College, Hays, KS, 1975
• Master of Education Degree in Educational Administration - Wichita State University, 1981
• Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Administration - Oklahoma State University, 1990

Service

Professional Service

Maize Unified School District 266 - Maize, KS

• Administrative Assistant, 1981-1984
• Administrative Assistant to Superintendent, 1984-1986
• Assistant Superintendent, 1986-1993
• Deputy Superintendent, 1993-1996
• Superintendent of Schools, 1996-2007

Conway Springs Unified School District 356 - Conway Springs, KS

• Industrial Education Teacher, 1975-1978
• Teacher/Activities Director, 1978-1981

University Service

Wichita State University - Wichita, KS

• Educational Administration Intern Program - Mentor, 1990-present
• Curriculum and Instruction - Instructor, 1992-93, 1993
• Educational Administration - Instructor, 1995-present
• Field Mentor for District Level Administration Candidates, 1996-present
• District Level Advisory Committee, 2003-present
• College of Education Advisory Council, 2004-present
• New Leader Workshop Panelist, 2006
• Senior Fellow for Leaderhip Studies, 2008-present

Pittsburg State University - Pittsburg, KS

• Assistant Professor, Special Services and Leadership Studies, 2007-2008

Newman University - Wichita, KS

• Guest Lecturer, 1993-present

Fort Hays State University - Hays, KS

• Field Mentor for District Level Administration Candidates, 1996-present

Achievements

Student Achievements

• Maize students achieved ten Standards of Excellence in reading and math in the 2005-06 school year. ACT average composite scores are higher than both the state and national average, with 78% of last year's graduates taking the exam. High school and middle school students and teams took national, state and regional championships in athletic, academic and fine arts activities and 43 graduates were named State Scholars. One 2005 graduate was named a National Merit Finalist.

Staff Achievements

• Staff members received national and state recognition as well during the 2005-06 school year. Most notable of the achievements was a high school science teacher being named a Milken Family Foundation National Educator. During my tenure, the district has had seven teachers recognized through the Kansas Horizon and Teacher of the Year award programs.

Leadership Development

• Responsible for promoting more than 20 staff members into administrative positions both in and out of the district. Support and encourage staff members to present at state and national conferences. Provide assistance and support for Board of Education members as they assume leadership roles at the district and state level.

District Growth

• In 1981, enrollment was slightly more than 1,000 students. Today, the district serves over 6,000 students, making the Maize the 12th largest district in the state as well as ranking in the top 40 employers in Sedgwick County.

Teamwork Facilitation

• Served on more than a dozen committees covering topics such as facility construction, high school scheduling, technology planning, transportation, curriculum development and teacher negotiations. I have also served as district coordinator/advisor for the past three bond elections, which passed with a minimum of 3:1 approval ratio. These bond issues have provided four of the six current schools, Maize Elementary, Pray-Woodman Elementary, Maize High School and Maize South Middle School.

Strategic Planning

• In 1998, the district embarked on a strategic planning process called the Journey to Excellence. The plan went through its second phase in 2005 and has created a common vision for parents, patrons and staff in the areas of learning, funding stability, individual student needs, stakeholder needs and facilities. Twenty-four action plans are slated for implementation over the course of the next three to five years.

Legislative/State BOE Testimony

• Have been called upon numerous times to provide testimony before legislative committees including the Joint Committee on Economic Development, the Senate Education Committee and the State Board of Education, provided input to Governor Sebelius at an educational forum held in Wichita and recently gave input to the state board at a summit on teacher education and licensure.

Local Affiliations

• Member of the Sedgwick County Superintendent Alliance, Visioneering Wichita Strategic Alliance and West Wichita Rotary Club. Recent events include participating as a panelist for Wichita State University's leader workshop, was a speaker at the groundbreaking ceremony of WSU's west side campus and assisted with strategic planning efforts for Rainbows United as well as task forces for Visioneering Wichita.

State Affiliations

• Member of the United School Administrators (USA) board of directors, Past-President of the Kansas Association of School Administrators (KASA), and Kansas Learning First Alliance (KLFA) member. Recent activities include serving on the Selection Committee for the Master Teacher Awards, being asked to represent KASA on a panel discussion regarding school insurance needs, chairing the Aspiring Superintendent Academy, helping organize the KASA summer conference and organizing discussions between the Kansas Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (KACTE) and KASA, presenting at the Greenbush Leadership Academy, serving on the Kansas State High School Activities Association Governor's Award Selection Committee as the KASA representative, served as a Superintendent representative for the Ark Valley/Chisholm Trail League and assisted the Kansas Association of School Board's superintendent searches for districts throughout the state.

Regional and National Affiliations

• Have maintained a national membership with the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) for the past 25 years and have been associated with the National School Board Association (NSBA) for my entire tenure as Superintendent. Served on NSBA's Foundation Planning Committee in 2003-04. Regional memberships include the Mid American Association of School Superintendents (MAASS) and the Suburban School Superintendents organization. MAASS is comprised of eleven member states and superintendents are nominated to become a member of this organization based on leadership qualities as well as the size of his/her district. I have served as Membership Chairperson for MAASS. The Suburban School Superintendents is a select group of no more than 100 suburban superintendents from across the nation who serve quality districts in a high performance manner. Other recent accomplishments include being nominated for the Kansas Superintendent of the Year, attending the EdNet conference as an Education Executives Advisory Board Member and providing input at the AASA delegate assembly regarding school funding.

Updated: 10/7/2008