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PITTSBURG —
Three area school districts made new administrative hires for their elementary schools this week.
USD 246 - Northeast hired Terry Cleland as the Northeast Elementary School principal, USD 248 - Girard hired Curtis Squire as the principal of RV Haderlein Elementary and USD 250 - Pittsburg hired Diane Jackson as the principal of George Nettels Elementary.
Terry Cleland
Cleland has been at Northeast for 15 years, most recently as the administrator assistant, athletics director and eighth-grade math teacher.
She officially will being her new role as pre-K-8 principal in July, but said she is already in training for her new job.
“I’m currently learning the ropes,” she said. “I’ve got a whole new group of responsibilities.”
Cleland originally is from Frontenac and received her bachelor of science in math education and her masters in leadership studies from Pittsburg State University, where she also played basketball.
“I like to lead by example and hard work,” she said. “That’s kind of the way I played basketball. If I worked hard, the rest of them would work hard with me.”
Cleland said she hopes the trust she has built in her time at Northeast will help the transition be smooth.
“I’m hoping to step in and be a good leader and help my teachers succeed,” she said.
Cleland said she also hopes to use her connections in the community to build partnerships between the Northeast area communities and the school system.
“Another duty that I would like to do is bring the community back into the school,” she said. “I’d like to join them together again.”
Diane Jackson
Jackson was born, raised and educated in Pittsburg and has spent 21 years teaching second grade and Title math at George Nettels Elementary, where she now will serve as principal.
“My background is that I taught for 21 years,” Jackson said. “I was born and raised in Pittsburg so it’s definitely home to me.”
Jackson received her undergraduate degree in elementary education and her masters degree in educational leadership from Pittsburg State University.
“Over the course of my years of teaching I had a lot of administrators who commented on my leadership skills,” she said, adding that she always appreciated the compliments, but hadn’t pursued anything of that nature.
“Then we had an opportunity about four years ago to apply for a grant program that’s called KanLead,” Jackson said, adding that she pursued that opportunity.
“When that opportunity came up, I said, ‘This is something I really want to do,’” she said.
When Principal Andy Gottlob became ill, Jackson became acting principal, and she was hired for the position Monday evening.
“I think right now my vision or my goal is to help our teachers to align our goals with the district goals so we have high-achieving students,” Jackson said, adding that she likes to see her students graduate with the skills necessary for college and career.
“I have a great group of teachers to work with, and the students too,” Jackson added.
Curtis Squire
Squire was hired Thursday evening by USD 248 to serve as the new principal at RV Haderlein.
He could not be reached for comment by press time, but Superintendent Blaise Bauer said Squire has served as a principal in Missouri and more recently as a principal for USD 247 Southeast.
“He’s a good fit for us and what we need right now,” Bauer said.
Three area school districts made new administrative hires for their elementary schools this week.
USD 246 - Northeast hired Terry Cleland as the Northeast Elementary School principal, USD 248 - Girard hired Curtis Squire as the principal of RV Haderlein Elementary and USD 250 - Pittsburg hired Diane Jackson as the principal of George Nettels Elementary.
Terry Cleland
Cleland has been at Northeast for 15 years, most recently as the administrator assistant, athletics director and eighth-grade math teacher.
She officially will being her new role as pre-K-8 principal in July, but said she is already in training for her new job.
“I’m currently learning the ropes,” she said. “I’ve got a whole new group of responsibilities.”
Cleland originally is from Frontenac and received her bachelor of science in math education and her masters in leadership studies from Pittsburg State University, where she also played basketball.
“I like to lead by example and hard work,” she said. “That’s kind of the way I played basketball. If I worked hard, the rest of them would work hard with me.”
Cleland said she hopes the trust she has built in her time at Northeast will help the transition be smooth.
“I’m hoping to step in and be a good leader and help my teachers succeed,” she said.
Cleland said she also hopes to use her connections in the community to build partnerships between the Northeast area communities and the school system.
“Another duty that I would like to do is bring the community back into the school,” she said. “I’d like to join them together again.”
Diane Jackson
Jackson was born, raised and educated in Pittsburg and has spent 21 years teaching second grade and Title math at George Nettels Elementary, where she now will serve as principal.
“My background is that I taught for 21 years,” Jackson said. “I was born and raised in Pittsburg so it’s definitely home to me.”
Jackson received her undergraduate degree in elementary education and her masters degree in educational leadership from Pittsburg State University.
“Over the course of my years of teaching I had a lot of administrators who commented on my leadership skills,” she said, adding that she always appreciated the compliments, but hadn’t pursued anything of that nature.
“Then we had an opportunity about four years ago to apply for a grant program that’s called KanLead,” Jackson said, adding that she pursued that opportunity.
“When that opportunity came up, I said, ‘This is something I really want to do,’” she said.
When Principal Andy Gottlob became ill, Jackson became acting principal, and she was hired for the position Monday evening.
“I think right now my vision or my goal is to help our teachers to align our goals with the district goals so we have high-achieving students,” Jackson said, adding that she likes to see her students graduate with the skills necessary for college and career.
“I have a great group of teachers to work with, and the students too,” Jackson added.
Curtis Squire
Squire was hired Thursday evening by USD 248 to serve as the new principal at RV Haderlein.
He could not be reached for comment by press time, but Superintendent Blaise Bauer said Squire has served as a principal in Missouri and more recently as a principal for USD 247 Southeast.
“He’s a good fit for us and what we need right now,” Bauer said.
