JACKSON NAMES SUPERINTENDENT

JACKSON -- Dr. Ron Anderson of Liberty has been selected superintendent of Jackson schools.

The Jackson Board of Education announced its decision during a meeting Tuesday night.

Anderson will assume his new duties July 1. He has agreed to a three-year contract for an annual salary of $98,500.

Anderson replaces Dr. Howard Jones, who announced his retirement in October.

"We are thrilled to be able to hire a person of Dr. Anderson's caliber to provide leadership to the Jackson School District," said school board President Jack Knowlan. "He has considerable experience in leading a rapidly growing school district such as ours."

Anderson, a former business teacher, currently works as a consultant with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He resigned in June 1998 from Liberty School District near Kansas City after serving 14 years as superintendent. He also had served four years each as superintendent of Gretna public schools and assistant superintendent of York public schools in Nebraska.

Knowlan said board members reviewed 34 applications before selecting five individuals for interviews. Anderson and two other applicants were then selected as semifinalists and scheduled for visits to the district.

Semifinalist David Smith, who was also a semifinalist for the Cape Girardeau superintendency last month, withdrew from consideration to accept a superintendent's position at Center School District near Kansas City. The third candidate, whom board members declined to name, withdrew from consideration for health reasons.

Knowlan said the school board authorized him to invite Dr. Dan Tallent, Cape Girardeau schools superintendent, to interview for the position along with Anderson after both other candidates withdrew. Although Tallent had not applied for the position, board members thought he would make a strong candidate, he said.

"We were very impressed with him," said Knowlan. "Had it not worked out with Ron Anderson, I think we might have persuaded him to come work with us."

Tallent is resigning as superintendent in Cape Girardeau.

Board members said patrons and staff of Liberty schools highly recommended Anderson during a visit to the district earlier this month. The community, like Jackson, has grown tremendously in recent years, and Anderson was successful in maintaining the enrollment and other growth issues confronting the school district, they said.

"It was obvious to us in meeting with community leaders in Liberty that Ron is a highly skilled leader in financial and growth management," said board member Vicky McDowell. "He's also well-versed in the issues of student learning, curriculum development and education technology. We think he's going to be a good match for our district."