KELSO SCHOOL BOARD LETS CHASTAIN QUIT

NEW HAMBURG -- Rick Chastain served his last official day as Kelso C-7 School superintendent Monday.

Chastain, who just entered the second year of a two-year contract with the Kelso School District, submitted his resignation for the second time in a month at the Kelso Board of Education's last regular meeting in mid-June. Unlike in May when Chastain submitted his resignation, the board let him quit this time.

Dorothy Dirnberger, Kelso school board chairperson, said Chastain gave a reason this time for wanting to quit, and he was allowed to leave to pursue private enterprise.

"He'll stay in the office until we find a new superintendent and get him into place," Dirnberger said.

In May, the board decided by a 4-2 vote to keep Chastain under contract at least until his next performance evaluation in January. Dirnberger said at that time that the board was unwilling to let Chastain resign because it would be difficult to find a replacement so soon after hiring him.

This time, Dirnberger said, the board has asked the Missouri School Board Association to help with a superintendent search. She said the MSBA will review applications and select three or four final candidates to be interviewed by the board.

Dirnberger said they expect to begin interviewing July 7 and hope to have a replacement by July 18.

Dirnberger said the board wasn't as surprised by Chastain's resignation this time. "You can't very well keep him if he wants out," she said.

Chastain was unavailable for comment at home and at the Kelso school superintendent's office Monday.

Chastain has been in the midst of a legal dispute with Meadow Heights School District at Patton since he was fired as Meadow Heights High School principal last year. Chastain filed suit in January for reinstatement to his old job and monetary damages.