West Plains School Board Extends Superintendent Contract through 2020
At the regularly scheduled January board meeting, The West Plains School District Board of Education voted unanimously to extend the contract of Dr. John Mulford as superintendent through June of 2020. This decision came as part of the West Plains School Board’s annual review of the superintendent. Dr. Mulford is completing his fourth year as superintendent and his fifteenth year in the West Plains School District, receiving high marks from the school board regarding his contribution to the district and the West Plains community.
Mulford has dedicated a large portion of his time working to progress authentic learning in the classroom. He is leading faculty and staff to incorporate hands on, problem-solving experiences in which students are exposed to relevant experiences in which they have the opportunity to to apply what they have learned. Board President, Jim Thompson, stated the following in regards to the direction the district is heading, “Dr. Mulford has done a great job of promoting a positive culture among the cabinet, administration, faculty, staff, and community. He deserves to be rewarded for a job well done. Extending the contract of Dr. Mulford ultimately rewards our students who are enjoying a brighter future because they have access to a solid educational foundation. He and his team have worked to maintain effective programs and plans are in place to enhance and grow existing programs.”
The unanimous vote by the board to extend Dr. Mulford’s contract demonstrates their trust and belief in his leadership. Thompson said, “The Board of Education has set high expectations for our superintendent. Dr. Mulford has certainly met those expectations. He puts in long hours and works hard. His planning and decision making consistently demonstrates that West Plains School District students and our community is the highest priority in his professional life. He has a gentle but firm leadership style to which our faculty and staff have responded well. The board was unanimous in our desire to continue working with Dr. Mulford to lead West Plains School District in a positive direction.”
Dr. Mulford wishes to express his sincere gratitude to the school board for the confidence they have placed in his leadership. In addition, Dr. Mulford noted that he is thankful for a community like West Plains that supports the efforts and programming of the school district. Dr. Mulford noted that the short-term priorities for the district include: Addressing the lack of adequate classroom space in the school buildings due to the growing student population, partnering with local industry to meet their needs, and ensuring that district programs are promoting the skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century workforce.
Dr. Mulford expresses his gratitude to the school board for the confidence they have placed in his leadership and is thankful to the community of West Plains for supporting the efforts and programming of the school district.