Houston Schools was looking for a building principal less than a month from the beginning of the new year. Terry Mayfield was searching for an administrative position under the same circumstances.
The two sides are happy they found each other.
The school board unanimously hired Mayfield on Thursday night as the new Houston Middle School principal. He replaces Jeremie Akins, who resigned to return home as the assistant high school principal in Buffalo.
The timing of Akins’ resignation on July 22 left Houston in a potentially precarious position. But Superintendent Scott Dill, who conducted 19 interviews during a six-day period, believes he found the ideal candidate to fill the void. Mayfield was the lone finalist Dill presented to the school board.
“There were a lot of qualified people out there,” Dill said. “What we were looking for was the skill set I believe we found with Mr. Mayfield –– the combination of district and building level experience and that overall administrative package. I think we have struck gold in finding a leader who has proven he can get the job done.”
Mayfield, who resigned July 21 following a four-year stint as superintendent in Princeton, said he felt just as fortunate. He met with the board and Friday morning was touring the campus alongside Dill.
“Through the interview process and doing some research, the direction Mr. Dill and the board have set for the goals and vision of the district align very closely with my ideals for education,” he said.
A 1991 graduate of Drexel High School, Mayfield taught social studies for nine years in the Hermitage, Rich Hill, Holden and Drexel school districts. His first administrative position was high school principal at Appleton City and Rich Hill. He later became superintendent at Rich Hill and spent the past four years serving in the same capacity at Princeton, a town of 1,166 in Mercy County along the Missouri-Iowa border.
Mayfield, who was placed on paid administrative leave in June and resigned from Princeton in July, said he applied in a few different Missouri school districts.
“Most people may see it as a step back,” he said. “Given the timing of the resignation, I had to be proactive in finding and securing employment. The fact that this was an administrative position was one I applied for with interest.”
Mayfield, who has masters and specialists degrees and is currently working on his doctorate in education, was last a building principal in 2008 at Rich Hill.
“I enjoy the superintendency and maybe down the road might look to get back into that position,” he said. “But right now I’m going to enjoy the role of being a building principal and having a little more interaction with the kids and faculty.”
Mayfield, 41, and his wife, Chrystal, have three children in the eighth, fifth and first grades. Due to his late hire in Houston, Mayfield said his wife, who is under contract with Trenton Schools, and children will remain in northern Missouri for the school year. Mayfield is hopeful his family can join him next year.
In the meantime, he has just 13 days to prepare for opening day of classes on Aug. 14 in Houston.
“What I’ve tasked Mr. Mayfield with is making sure everything gets off to a smooth start –– that everything on the calendar is accomplished in a timely manner, that there is effective communication and ensuring our teachers have the support, tools and time they need for the school year,” Dill said. “Given that Mr. Mayfield has done this before, I’m pretty confident that we are in a good position and our ability to move forward.”
What we were looking for was the skill set I believe we found with Mr. Mayfield –– the combination of district and building level experience and that overall administrative package. I think we have struck gold in finding a leader who has proven he can get the job done.”