Two PB principals resign

In a pair of resignations, Poplar Bluff R-I schools will lose 15 years of administrative service.

Lake Road Principal Erica Weadon and Middle School Principal Dr. Brad Owings accepted positions with other school districts.

Weadon accepted a position with the Jackson R-II school district.

Weadon

For over a decade, she served as the Lake Road principal.

During this time, the school received recognition through multiple federal programs including the Blue Ribbon award.

In 2018, Weadon led a push for the school to expand how long students stay in elementary school, extending its highest grade level from fourth to sixth. The last step of that move will happen next school year with sixth-grade students able to stay at Lake Road. The move came from the goal of increasing enrollment at the school, which at the time was the lowest in the district, and is now on par with the other elementary schools.

Owings has been named as the principal of Robberson Community School at the Springfield R-XII School District. He served as principal at PBMS for five years.

When he started, the school was the fifth and sixth grade center on Oak Grove Road. It moved to the current location and added fourth grade shortly after he started. It was also the first school in the district to add a dedicated Science Technology Engineering and Math elective.

Owings

Owings also played a role in bringing the first doctoral program to Poplar Bluff through a partnership with Lindenwood University. It helped the interested teachers in the district work toward a doctorate.

The school district listed both positions as open and applications are still being accepted.

The school board discussed a change to the middle school principal salary on Thursday that would impact the new hire.

Members voted unanimously to adjust the offered minimum salary from $92,996 to $87,548.

“Considering that the middle school principal has fewer extracurricular activities and supervision required in that position compared to other principals with a similar amount of students, I recommend we adjust that,” Dr. Amy Jackson, assistant superintendent, said. She added that the last time the salary schedule adjusted was 2016.

“I feel like this is right sizing the salary,” Dr. Scott Dill, superintendent said. “This puts it in the same salary column as junior high. There’s one fewer grades at junior high, but there’s about 800% more supervision. ... I think it’s the right size for this. It’s one of the better paying principal jobs in the region.”

Along with the two principals, board member Heather Tuggle announced her resignation from the position. The change is due to Tuggle moving out of the area. Her resignation is effective immediately.

Tuggle has been a board member since 2015.

“It’s been a pleasure serving with Heather,” Board President John Scott said. “I can say, she’s always had her ear to the ground and her thumb on the pulse of the district no matter how minute the issue might be.

“There’s no question in my mind that Heather’s always had her heart in the right place.”

The board will accept applications for the position and vet applicants before appointing somebody to finish Tuggle’s term in 2021.