In a unanimous vote, the Ozark Board of Education this week renewed the contract of Superintendent Dr. Kevin Patterson.
The three year extension keeps Patterson with the district through the 2018-2019 school year, and is a vote of confidence in Patterson’s leadership, the board said. Three years is the longest contract a school board may offer a superintendent under Missouri law.
Patterson is completing his 29th year with the district. He started his career as a math and computer science teacher and athletics coach before working his way into various administrative roles.
In a statement, Board of Education President Patty Quessenberry said officials have watched Patterson grow and develop as one of the leading superintendents in the area.
“Kevin has such passion for Ozark and is one of the best at forward thinking, leading the Ozark School District to become one of the outstanding school districts in the state. It is evident that he encourages constant interaction and high performance within his staff and building administrators. Dr. Patterson has created an environment where his staff are empowered to make changes that will continually improve the performance of the students of Ozark while he continually praises the team that he leads," Quessenberry said.
The district points to Patterson’s leadership in its long range planning process, help in recent enrollment growth, academic success and passage of last spring’s no tax increase bond issue and five building projects.