KANSAS ASSOCIATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 2014-2015 EXEMPLARY MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Lance Custer, Hugoton Middle School, was selected as one of the KAMSA “Exemplary” Middle School Principals for 2014-‐15. He began his educational career teaching Biology at Basehor-‐Linwood High School from 2001-‐2003. He assisted with the high school sports program by coaching boys basketball and track. In 2003 he accepted the educational opportunity to move to Cheney where he would continue teaching high school Biology, A&P, and Applied Science. He also coached middle school basketball for nine years while at Cheney and middle school track for four years. Lance began his administrational career at Hugoton Middle School and is currently in his third year. While at Hugoton the school was recognized as an “Exemplary Middle School” in 2014 by KAMSA. This success has been accomplished by the dedicated staff at HMS. During the past three years at Hugoton, Lance and the BLT (Building Leadership Team) have implemented the “Key to Success” program. This program identifies students who go above and beyond to be positive characters. They are rewarded with a “Key to Success” card that is turned in each nine weeks for prizes. The school has also created an after school program to decrease the amount of missing assignments. HMS is in their first year of this program and has already seen the number decrease. Without the student centered staff at HMS these new programs could not be as successful as they have become. Lance is married to Livia, who is an amazing 5th grade teacher at Hugoton Intermediate School. They have two boys: Stanton (2nd grade) and Lyndon (Preschool).
KANSAS ASSOCIATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 2014-2015 EXEMPLARY MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Terrell D. Davis, Wichita-‐Truesdell Middle School Principal, was selected as one of the KAMSA “Exemplary” Middle School Principals for 2014-‐15. Truesdell Middle School serves 998 students in grades six through eight and is the largest middle school in Kansas. It is in Wichita, in USD #259. Mr. Davis earned his Bachelor of Arts from Sterling College, his Master of Science in Education from Newman University in 2000 and is in the process of completing his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His first teaching job was at Liberty Middle School in Hutchinson, Kansas, where he taught communications and theatre arts for three years. He then went on to become the assistant principal at Wichita West High School, where he implemented the ACT Explore and Plan administration and data protocols for the district. He also developed a community wide pastor volunteer program. In 2004 Mr. Davis was hired to be the principal at Mayberry Cultural Fine Arts Middle Magnet School in Wichita. From there in 2004 he moved to Dean Ray Stucky and then in 2012 to Truesdell Middle School where he is at currently. A few highlights of his administrative tenure include making standards of excellence in reading for the years 2006 and 2007, developing the first college/middle school partnership with a four year college, and securing a $25,000 scholarship fund for students who apply to Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. He established a summer leadership residential camp at Southwestern College for middle school students, and received the 2010 NAACP (Wichita branch) H. T. Simms “Excellence in Education” Award. Since coming to Truesdell, Mr. Davis’ main focus has been to transform Truesdell Middle School from being designated a “priority school” in Kansas, because it was the lowest performing Title 1 middle school. Now it is one of the fastest improving schools. Mr. Davis’ integrity and work ethics are exceptional. As a result of his foresight he has fostered an environment that once validated mediocrity to now creating an environment that all educators share the vision of “building a utopia of achievement by excelling in academics, behavior, and effort. His approach to decision making empowers both adults and students when it comes to problem solving. He is fair, impartial, and systematic. His use of data and implementation of the MTSS model to increase student achievement make him an outstanding instructional leader. Truesdell Middle School Assistant Principal Kim O’Reilly commented: “Mr. Davis is fair, impartial, and systematic. His approach to decision making empowers both adults and students when it comes to problem solving. In my opinion, Mr. Davis’ leadership is unparalleled.”
KANSAS ASSOCIATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 2014-2015 EXEMPLARY MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Brent Garrison, Kingman Middle School Principal, was selected as an Exemplary Middle School Principal for the 2014-‐15 school year by the Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators. Kingman Middle School is located in South Central Kansas. Mr. Garrison is a lifelong Kingman resident graduating Kingman High School in 1993 and leaving only to complete his college education where he had a stellar basketball career at Pratt Community College and Tabor College in Hillsboro. He returned to Kingman to begin his educational career teaching Physical Education and Social Studies at Kingman Middle School from 1998-‐2003. While teaching at the middle school, Mr. Garrison served as head coach for basketball and track and was an assistant football coach. Mr. Garrison began his administrative career as assistant principal for Kingman Elementary in the fall of 2003. In 2005, he was named principal of Kingman Middle School and has served in that capacity for the last nine years. While serving as principal at Kingman Middle School, KMS students have received the building level Standard of Excellence and received many grade level exemplary performances. Additionally, KMS has been a leader in technology use and integration implementing a 1:1 laptop initiative followed by a 1:1 iPad initiative and now have moved to a third generation 1:1 initiative introducing chrome books this school year. In an effort to further digitalize curricular resources and provide individual instruction, Mr. Garrison is working with his staff to increase a blended learning model of instruction and learning. Mr. Garrison feels very fortune to work with a great middle school staff implementing the technology integration and instructional methods and credits the success of these initiatives to great support from the Board of Education and his administrative colleagues. Mr. Garrison serves or served in several state level leadership positions. He was elected to the KSHSAA board of directors as a middle school representative currently serving his second term in that position. He has served on the board of directors for KAMSA for the past four years. Mr. Garrison also served on the Kansas Center for Safe and Prepared Schools Advisory Board for three years and contributed to the development of district level emergency operations plan template provided to any Kansas school district. Mr. Garrison also assisted in training for school districts across the state to assist districts in the adoption and implementation of the district level template. Mr. Garrison is very proud to serve the community where he was born and raised. He is married to his wife Amy, a Certified Occupational Therapist and they have three boys, Jace, Jayden, and Jaren. Jace and Jayden are Kingman Middle school students and Jaren is a kindergarten student at Kingman Elementary School.
KANSAS ASSOCIATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 2014-2015 EXEMPLARY MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Ryan Jilka, Discovery Intermediate School Principal, Goddard Public Schools, was selected as an Exemplary Middle School Principal for the 2014-2015 school year by the Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators. Ryan has had the incredible fortune of serving students in Goddard for seventeen years. He became the principal of Discovery Intermediate School in 2010. Discovery is one of two intermediate schools in the Goddard Public School district and serves approximately 450 students in grades 5-‐6. Ryan earned his Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Fort Hays State University in 1997 and began his teaching career the following year at what was then the Intermediate Learning Center in Goddard. He spent eight years teaching sixth and seventh grade in Goddard, and he served as the Goddard Education Association President. Ryan was also involved in coaching middle school football and tennis and was fortunate to be the Head Wrestling Coach at Goddard High School. In 2006, the team won the 6A State Championship. Ryan began his administrative career the following school year as the Assistant Principal of Eisenhower Middle School. After two years, he transitioned to a new position as an Assistant Principal at Goddard High School. He is very proud of his opportunity to serve Goddard students at such a variety of levels. While at Discovery Intermediate School, students and staff have celebrated earning KAMSA’s “High Performing School” status and many KSDE “Standard of Excellence” honors. He attributes this success to the dedication and devotion of the entire Discovery staff and the incredible students that come to Discovery. Ryan is married to Kerrie and has three daughters: Natalie, Morgan, and McKenna. In his free time, he likes to hunt, golf, and follow his daughters’ sporting events.
KANSAS ASSOCIATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 2014-2015 EXEMPLARY MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Ben Proctor, Hesston Middle School Principal, was selected as an Exemplary Middle School Principal for the 2014-15 school year by the Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators. Hesston Middle School is located in south-central Kansas and serves 270 students in grades 5-8. After graduating from McPherson College, Ben taught taught social studies and coached boys basketball at Eureka High School, Southeast (Cherokee) High School and Arkansas City High School from 2001-2008. In the fall of 2008, Ben went back to Southeast as assistant principal and activities director before becoming principal in 2010. In 2012, Ben and his family moved to Hesston, where he has served as building principal for the past three school years. Ben has had the privilege of working with outstanding students and staff over his seven years as a building leader, and during that time, students and staff have achieved a variety of awards and recognitions. At Southeast, the students and staff experienced the success of moving from a school listed in the bottom 5% of all Kansas High Schools according to state assessment scores in 2008 to achieving back to back standard of excellence recognitions in 2010 and 2011. Hesston Middle School has received awards for being a "High Performing School" in 2012 and 2013 and was named an "Exemplary Middle School" in 2013. HMS was then named the 2014 KAMSA "Middle School of the Year." Since coming to Hesston, Ben's focus has been to work with his leadership team and staff as a whole to generate action steps to help an already successful school find ways to move from "good to great." Their focus is currently on the establishment of a systematic and purposeful approach to curriculum, instruction, and student motivation while maintaining the highest levels of support in academic and social areas for each student in the building. Ben and his wife Carla have three children Jake (10), Abby (8), and Jacy (4).
KANSAS ASSOCIATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 2014-2015 EXEMPLARY MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Dr. Rod Smith, Frontier Trail Middle School Principal, was selected as an Exemplary Middle School Principal for the 2014-2015 school year by the Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators. Dr. Smith is principal at Frontier Trail Middle School. Frontier Trail serves 800 students in grades 6-8 located in Olathe Kansas. Smith is starting his 22nd year in education and his 5th year as principal at Frontier Trail. Rod began his teaching career in the Shawnee Mission School District (USD #512) teaching 5th grade for six years at Highlands Elementary. After that he was named principal at McEowen Elementary in Harrisonville Missouri for one year. He left McEowen to return to SMSD to be the principal at Mill Creek Elementary for 9 years. He then moved to Crestview Elementary in SMSD for one year. After sixteen great years in SMSD Rod decided to move to the middle level and became the principal at Frontier Trail in Olathe USD #233. Rod earned his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education degree from Mid America Nazarene University in 1992. He went on to earn his Master of Science degree from Emporia State University in 1998. After working as a building principal for seven years he earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Baker University in 2008. Rod received the Shawnee Mission School District Teacher of the Year award in 1998. He received the Elementary Principal of the Year award in 2005 and 2007. While principal at Mill Creek Elementary the school received the National Blue Ribbon Award in 2003. During Rod’s tenure at Mill Creek they received the “Kansas Standard of Excellence Award” in all tested areas nine years in a row. Rod served on the Superintendent’s Advisory Council in Shawnee Mission for three years helping with boundary changes, curriculum and budget. He led an elementary principal group for five years in Shawnee Mission. Has currently serves on the school board for a small Christian school in Overland Park Kansas and Mid America University’s School of Education Advisory Board. Rod enjoys giving back to his community by actively serving in his church, organizing service projects for Frontier Trail and volunteering at JCCB. Rod is married to Brenda Smith who currently teaches 6th grade ELA in the Olathe School District. His son is a freshmen at Olathe South High School and plays basketball and baseball.
