FMCSD plans principal shuffle for start of school year

Posted

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - Fort Madison schools will look a little different in the fall from an administrative perspective.

Fort Madison Community School District Superintendent Dr. Erin Slater said Wednesday that plans are set to move all principals within the district, with the exception of Fort Madison High School Principal Greg Smith, into different roles to start the 2021-22 school year.

The moves are a precursor to the 2023 relocation of all district education to the Fort Madison Middle School campus on Bluff Road, and the Fort Madison High School.

The district voted earlier this year to move PreK to 6th grade to the campus on Bluff Road, while 7th through 12th grade will be housed at the Fort Madison High School campus.

"In order to foster the best collaboration for staff, students, and community to transition into these upgraded centers, we want to ensure that each administrator has experience with each grade level and families that will be functioning as a collaborative group in 2023," Slater wrote in an email to Pen City Current.

"We are a district focused on instructional leadership and collaboration."

She said that Christina Schelich, who has been the associate principal at Fort Madison Middle School will move to Lincoln Elementary as Principal. Former Fort Madison Middle School Principal Todd Dirth will move over to Richardson Elementary as the principal.

Tracy King will be the co-principal at the middle school for grades 4-6. She was the former principal at Lincoln. Patrick Lamb will be the co-principal at Fort Madison Middle School for grades 7 and 8, moving over from his associate principal spot at Fort Madison High School.

Adrian McKay, the former principal at Richardson Elementary will now be the co-principal at Fort Madison High School overseeing 9th and 10th grades, while Greg Smith will stay at the high school as co-principal overseeing 11th and 12 grades.

"Each of our administrators have leadership styles that match the role of instructional leader for the FMCSD. These shifts will allow for all of our buildings and teams to grow and learn together as we continue to do what's best for kids as we transition to our upgraded facilities."

Slater said facility preparation and planning has begun with teacher input groups working with the architect and construction management team.

"Community input will take place in early fall of 2021 regarding design," Slater wrote.

The Fort Madison school board voted in May to contract with DLR Group out of Des Moines for architectural services on the $25 million Phase 1 of the facilities upgrade at a cost of $1.56 million. The board also voted to award Carl A. Nelson Co. the contract for construction management for the project at $666,000.

fmhs, fmms, Fort Madison Community School District, news, Pen City Current, principals, shuffle

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here