EX-SCOTT CITY TEACHER WILL BE PRINCIPAL THERE

SCOTT CITY -- When Carl Rosenquist assumes his duties as principal of Scott City Elementary School in August, he will be returning to the place he started as an educator 17 years ago.

"It's going to be like a homecoming," Rosenquist said. "When I began my career there, I always thought it would be nice to come back as principal."

Rosenquist began his career student teaching the sixth-grade at Scott City Elementary. After receiving his bachelor's degree in elementary education from Southeast Missouri State University, Rosenquist stayed on at Scott City Elementary for five years as a fourth-grade teacher.

"I come from a whole line of educators," Rosenquist said. "My father is a retired teacher, my brother is a teacher, I have cousins who are teachers you could say that education runs in my family."

While working at Scott City Elementary, Rosenquist earned a master's degree in education administration from Southeast Missouri State University. Rosenquist also holds a specialist degree in school administration.

He assumed his first principal's job in 1980 at Meadow Heights Elementary School in Patton.

When an opening came up at the St. Vincent De Paul grade school in 1987, Rosenquist jumped at the opportunity to work with a bigger school, a little closer to home.

"I love being a principal," Rosenquist said. "Its a way you can continue to have the opportunity to work with kids everyday and to be involved with the decision-making and curriculum at the same time."

Rosenquist admits he thought long and hard about applying for the principal's job in Scott City.

"I'm very happy here St. Vincent's is an excellent school with terrific teachers and devoted parents," Rosenquist said. "But you can't stay somewhere forever; I had to take a look at the Scott City job."

Rosenquist was one of two dozen applicants for the principal's position, said Scott City Superintendent Bob Brison.

"His experience and training seemed to best fit our criteria for selection," Brison said. "We were very pleased to know that he was familiar with our operations here."

Shortly before Rosenquist assumes his new position, Brison will be replaced by Doug Berry, the present Scott City Elementary principal.

"I'm looking forward to working with (Rosenquist)," Berry said. "His 12 years of experience as a principal, coupled with his classroom experience, should prove to be a successful combination."

Rosenquist looks forward to being able to spend more time with his wife, Francie, and two sons, Robby and Ryan.

"There is a big difference between parochial and public schools, as far as being a principal goes," Rosenquist said. "In parochial schools, the principal must do public relations, you serve as the executive officer to the school board, and you must deal with legal issues, the budget and other things beyond the school's curriculum."

When he assumes the position in Scott City, Rosenquist said that he will not make any immediate changes.

"I'd love to have a big crisis where I could go in and drain the swamps," he said. "But the school district to which I'm going is in excellent condition."

"My feeling is that change for the sake of change is not always good for the school or the faculty," Rosenquist said.

"I will take some time to get to know the community, the faculty, the students; then we can work together to make things happen," he said. "I have the gift of time to be able to get to know people and assess the situation, bringing what talents I have to the new system."

Even though he has many tough tasks ahead of him as he finishes out the current school year at St. Vincent, Rosenquist is looking forward to his new position.

"It's going to be an exciting move," he said. "I'm still very committed to what I'm doing (at St. Vincent), but as the end of the year approaches, the anticipation builds.

"But there's still a lot to be done," Rosenquist said.