The guidance counselor at Houston Elementary School has accepted an offer to become the new assistant high school principal.
Acting superintendent Scott Dill said Jody Jarrett was extended the position during the closed session of Tuesday night’s school board meeting.
Jarrett has been part of the district for eight years –– seven as counselor. She was one of four finalists for the job. Jarrett and Steven Milligan were interviewed by the board.
Jarrett was approved by a 7-0 vote.
“Her familiarity with the students is a huge asset to the district,” Dill said.
Jarrett replaces Brian Wilbanks, who will become the high school principal at Norwood next year after one year in Houston. She will be working alongside Charlie Malam, who was named the new HHS principal in late February.
Dill and Malam worked closely with a selection committee during the hiring process. Dill said Jarrett’s educational standards stood out.
“She has clearly defined lines of how policy should be enforced,” Dill said.
Jarrett was born and raised in San Diego, Calif. She moved to Ruidoso, N.M., as a teenager and graduated from Ruidoso High School in 1994. She graduated with a bachelor of science in psychology from Drury University in 2000 and has three master’s degrees – counseling psychology, educational administration and special education.
Also at Tuesday’s board meeting, members:
––Were read the certification of election results from Dill. Tadd McCloud and Jim Root were sworn in as new board members.
––Elected board officers. They are: Tom Dunn, president; Sharon Horbyk, vice president; Jo Holland, secretary-treasurer; and Janice Maxwell, executive board secretary.
––Approved a revised extra duty/extended contract for the 2012-’13 school year. The contract will be utilized for all certified employees who work beyond a standard teaching contract.
––Elected Root to serve as Missouri School Board Association delegate. McCloud is the alternate.
––Heard insurance rates for the district will increase 10 percent next year. The district is a member of a multi-district consortium. The base rate for insurance will increase to $379.87 next school year –– up from 345.38 this year.
––Tabled a decision to enter a 10-year contract with Pepsi for scoreboards at the football field, Hiett Gymnasium and middle school gym. The total value is $43,028, as proposed by Pepsi.
––Approved several policy updates from MSBA that had been presented the previous month. Updated copies of the policies will be available on the district’s website, as soon as the updates are processed and posted by MSBA, according to Dill.
––Heard the Citizens for Education awards assembly will be May 8. The middle school portion will begin at 7 p.m., followed by the high school.
––Entered into closed session.
A look at the educational background of Jody Jarrett, who joined the Houston School District in 2004:
Bachelor of Science in Psychology – Drury University, Springfield, 2000.
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology – National University, San Diego, Calif., 2003.
Master of Science in Education (Educational Administration) – Missouri State University, Springfield 2007.
Master of Science in Education (Special Education) – Missouri State University, 2011.