FITCH NEW PERRY COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT

PERRYVILLE -- Dr. Ronald J. Fitch, superintendent of the St. James School District, has been chosen as the new superintendent of Perry County schools.

Fitch's selection was announced Tuesday at a special school board meeting.

Fitch will begin his duties July 1. He replaces former superintendent Robert Ackley, who was relieved of his duties in February.

Orville Schaefer, school board president, said the board based its decision to hire Fitch on faculty, administrative and community response to the superintendent.

"Dr. Fitch received the most favorable comments from all three groups," Schaefer said. "We feel very comfortable with his selection."

Fitch and his wife, Linda, visited the district last week and met with school staff. A public meeting was also held to allow members of the community to meet with them.

Schaefer said people were impressed with Fitch's interest in community involvement and the "very personal feeling" he gave to staff members.

"They felt they could work with him very well," he noted.

A three-year contract between Fitch and the district was still being finalized Tuesday night, Schaefer said, adding that Fitch had accepted the position Tuesday afternoon.

Fitch's salary had yet to be approved by the board, he said. Schaefer did say Fitch's salary would be more than that of former superintendent Ackley.

Fitch, 48, has been superintendent at St. James since 1981. He was superintendent of the Clinton County R-III School District at Plattsburg for seven years and superintendent of the Hardin County Central School District for three years.

He has an undergraduate degree from Northwest Missouri State University at Maryville and graduate degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Central Missouri State University and Oklahoma State University.

While at Oklahoma State, he taught graduate courses in education, and while in Kansas City, he taught in the Kansas City School District for five years.

The St. James School District has and enrollment of 1,400 students. Perryville's enrollment is about 2,400.

Linda Fitch is an elementary teacher. The couple's children are Ami, 21, a senior at the State University of New York; Mark, 19, a sophomore at the University of Missouri-Columbia; and Stephanie, a high school junior.

A second finalist for the position was Dr. Allen Crader, superintendent of the Republic School District.

Fitch was chosen from a pool of 40 candidates. A consultant, Dr. James Coomer, assisted the board with the search.

Ackley, who had been superintendent for seven years, announced in late August he did not want his contract with the district renewed.

Newly elected board members June Bodenschatz, Dennis Martin and Donna Tucker were sworn in during Tuesday's meeting. Schaefer was re-elected as president by board members and Kim Moore, a Perryville attorney, was reinstated as vice president.