Jefferson Elementary educator hired as Scott City Elementary principal

April Garner, who has worked at Jefferson Elementary in Cape Girardeau for 16 years, will become the principal of Scott City Elementary starting Aug. 1.

Garner, a principal intern at Jefferson, was among 15 candidates who applied for the position.

Courtney Kern, who served as the elementary principal for 12 years, resigned last month to return to a teaching position, superintendent Diann Ulmer said.

A selection committee was formed, and five candidates were interviewed. The committee included school administrators and teachers, as well as Brian Lee, a high school principal at the Diamond School District in Diamond, Missouri, who will take over as superintendent when Ulmer retires this year.

"The committee really liked her well-rounded background," Ulmer said. "She has lots of experience at many different levels, and that's a real advantage for our district."

During a closed session of the Scott City School Board on Wednesday, members hired Garner as elementary principal for the 2015-16 school year.

Beth Cox, president of the school board, also praised Garner's experience and leadership skills.

"In her career, she has spent time in many key areas of the elementary setting that will be beneficial to her new role," Cox said, adding it was important to include Lee in the interviews to ensure the new principal would be a good fit for his leadership team.

"While there will be a lot of changes next year, we are confident that the faculty and staff will make this a seamless transition for our students," she said.

Garner taught kindergarten for four years at Perryville before teaching first, fourth and fifth grades at Jefferson. She also was a communication arts teacher in the Title I program, which provides extra help and instruction for struggling readers.

As a principal intern, Garner has the same responsibilities as an assistant principal.

"I grew up in Cape and went to Central (High School), but spent a lot of time in Scott City, a lot of summers and weekends," Garner said. "I loved the community feel. When the position came up, I felt a strong desire to apply and work for that community."

Garner attended Southeast Missouri State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood education with an elementary certification. She then earned a special degree in school administration.

During her senior year in high school, Garner was enrolled in a tutoring class and assisted kindergarten teachers.

"There was a little girl in there who struggled greatly just to write her name," Garner recalled. "One day, I walked in and without saying anything, she grabbed my hand, took me to the table and wrote her name all by herself.

"When she turned around and smiled at me, I knew I wanted to do that for the rest of my life. I can still picture her today."

Garner said she's looking forward to her new role as elementary principal.

"I'm hoping I can bring a lot of skills and experience to Scott City, so that we can make it the best elementary we can be," she said. "I want to bring the building together as a collaborative team, working for the best interest of our students."

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

3000 Main St., Scott City, Mo.