Central High names new principal

New principals were announced Wednesday in the Cape Girardeau School District for Cape Girardeau Central High School and Jefferson and Franklin elementary schools.

Christopher Kase will assume the role of high school principal July 1. He will replace Mike Cowan, who is retiring after 14 years with the district.

Kase has been assistant principal at the high school since July and was among three internal applicants interviewed for the position.

He has worked in education since 2002. Before working in the Cape Girardeau school district, Kase was principal at Patton Junior High School in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and assistant principal at Atchison Middle School in Atchison, Kansas. Before becoming an administrator, he was a science teacher at Valley Park High School in St. Louis and Winnetonka High School in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kase earned a bachelor's degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a master's in education administration at Missouri Baptist University. He is working on a doctorate from the University of Kansas.

Kase, originally from the St. Louis area, met his wife while attending Southeast.

"We always talked about coming back to Cape at some point," he said, adding the assistant principal position was a "perfect fit."

As principal, Kase said he's looking forward working directly with the staff, students, parents and the community. "And the opportunity to put my own stamp on the direction that Cape Girardeau is going to go," he said.

Cowan's personality and reputation leave big shoes to fill, Kase said, and he might not be able to fill those shoes in some ways.

"So I'm definitely going to depend on the support and teamwork and collaboration of a lot of others to help me to fill the vacancy that he will be leaving," he said.

Jefferson Elementary

After three years as Jefferson Elementary principal, Christa Turner will being taking on a new role in the district as director of curriculum and instruction. She will follow Theresa Hinkebein, who is retiring after 25 years with the school district.

Rae Anne Alpers

Rae Anne Alpers, assistant principal at Cape Central Middle School, will replace Turner at Jefferson Elementary. Alpers has been with the district for seven years, and before serving as assistant principal, she was an instructional coach and interim assistant principal at Central Junior High School.

Alpers graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a Master of Arts in English. She also completed the executive doctor of education program at St. Louis University.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge," Alpers said of her new position. "I'm anxious to work with the staff and to meet the students, to meet the parents and just to continue with the positive changes in growth Jefferson has made."

Franklin Elementary

At Franklin Elementary, Ron Farrow will replace principal Rhonda Dunham, who is retiring after 14 years.

Farrow is the instructional technology specialist for the school district. With more than 12 years of educational experience, he has served as summer school administrator, music education instructor, educational technology facilitator and online training facilitator.

Ron Farrow

He earned a master's in education from Southwest Baptist University, a master's in educational administration from Missouri Baptist University and is working to complete an educational specialist in administration degree from Missouri Baptist.

"I've always had a passion for being a building administrator," he said, adding he's also looking forward to working with students at the elementary level.

"That's where I spent the majority of my teaching career, and so the last two years I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the staff at the high school and the junior high, but I really love that elementary level," he said. "It's that age when they're just getting the building blocks of learning. They're making new discoveries every day."

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639