KC area school district hasn’t hired outside leader since 1971. The streak continues
The last time the Blue Springs school district hired a superintendent who wasn’t already working in its central office, it was 1971.
On Tuesday the district followed precedent, announcing that its fifth superintendent in nearly 50 years comes from its administrative staff.
The school board on Monday appointed Bob Jerome, assistant superintendent of operations, as the superintendent-elect. He will assume the role of superintendent on July 1, 2021, when Paul Kinder is scheduled to retire.
Jerome been working for Blue Springs schools for 20 years, serving as principal of Blue Springs High School from 2014-2018 before overseeing district operations. He is also an alumnus of Blue Springs High and lives in the district with his wife and two children.
Over the years, Blue Springs has come to be known for hiring teachers who graduated from its high schools and district leaders from within its administration.
The last superintendent to come from outside district boundaries was Gale Bartow in 1971.
Next was Charlie McGraw, who had been a deputy superintendent. When he left, Kinder, his assistant superintendent, was hired into the spot. The same scenario occurred when Finley took the reins from Kinder, who later came back as an interim superintendent when Finley retired.
During his time with the district Jerome has also been a teacher, coach, assistant and associate principal.
As the head of operations, Jerome oversaw the district’s 2018 no-tax-rate-increase bond issue, which included funding for a new wing at Blue Springs South High School, district-wide safety upgrades, a new library/media center and fine arts spaces at Blue Springs High, classroom additions and new multi-purpose spaces. All those projects are set to be finished during the 2020-2021 academic year.
“I am proud to welcome Dr. Jerome as the next superintendent of the Blue Springs School District. I have the utmost confidence that he is the right person to lead us for the future,” said Dale Walkup, board president.
Jerome said that in the year before he takes over the district he “looks forward to learning from Dr. Kinder to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 4:43 PM.
