New CCSD2 Superintendent shares philosophy
Darrin Jennings was happy to talk about his new position as superintendent of Carbon County School District No. 2, but he said he didn’t have long for an interview because he needed to drive a busload of kids home.
“I help out wherever I can,” he said Thursday. “I’ve only done it a few times this year.”
He later explained that the bus is really a Suburban, and he was driving a regular route, “to take our country kids home.”
The CCSD2 board of trustees announced Wednesday that it had chosen Jennings as the district’s new superintendent. He will replace Dr. Jim Copeland, who retires effective June 30.
Jennings said his focus will be on the students.
“We have to have our kids be successful, college- and career-ready when they graduate and help them become contributing members of the community,” he said. “That’s so important.”
That Jennings would step up to drive a bus route is no surprise, given his resume is a long list of numerous concurrent and overlapping jobs.
An administrator for 21 years, he is currently the principal of Saratoga Elementary. He has also served — simultaneously — as principal of Saratoga Middle/High School.
Prior to coming to Saratoga, Jennings was principal of Rawlins Elementary School for 10 years, during which he also served short stints as both assistant superintendent in charge of special services and interim superintendent for CCSD1.
Jennings was a teacher for a total of six years prior to entering administration. He taught fourth and fifth grades and seventh-grade science and reading.
He has been an administrator for 21 years.
Now, as superintendent of a school district encompassing five communities, he believes that to ensure the academic success of CCSD2 students, his role requires promoting a strong sense of community.
“I think you have to be very visible and active in the communities, be in the schools, talking to teachers and staff so you can problem solve and devote time and resources to the different schools,” he said.
Jennings added that good things are going on in the district.
“We have to keep working so they become great things,” he said. “We have to put kids first, provide resources so that people can do their jobs in our school district. We do a good job, but we need to go from good to great — not just be happy where we are with it.”
Other candidates for the position were CCSD2 Director of Curriculum Noel Manning and superintendent of Converse County School District No. 2 Coley Shadrick.
The CCSD2 board of trustees named Jennings superintendent following an executive session during its Feb. 23 meeting.
It also accepted the resignation of Kenzie Strauch, Hannah Elementary fifth-grade teacher, and approved contracts for the 2022-23 school year for the following people:
MacKenzie Rakness, sixth-grade teacher at Saratoga Elementary School and Saratoga Middle/High School
Sally Wells, business manager
Andi Ward, network manager
Noel Manning, curriculum director
Robin Brown, Special Services, Title I, Title IX Coordinator, Special Education and Homeless Liaison
Drew Leach, school psychologist
Mike Erickson, principal of Encampment K-12
Steven Priest, H-E-M junior/senior high school principal
Laura Niswender, principal of Medicine Bow Elementary, Elk Mountain Elementary and Hannah Elementary schools
J.D. Johnson, principal of Saratoga Middle/High School
The next meeting of the CCSD2 board of trustees will be Monday, March 21, at 4 p.m. at the Saratoga Middle/High School.
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