MRH School Superintendent Karen Hall Taking Leave Of Absence For The Rest Of 2020-21

From the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District:

October 26, 2020

Dear Maplewood Richmond Heights School District families and community,

The MRH Board of Education is announcing today that Dr. Karen I. Hall will take leave from the superintendency for the remainder of the 2020-2021 academic year. Dr. Hall submitted to the Board a leave request for personal reasons, which we then approved last Thursday. This Board wishes Dr. Hall the very best in her next endeavors.

In the meantime, the current assistant superintendent, Roxanna Mechem, will serve as acting superintendent. Her new duties begin immediately. As the primary stakeholders in the District, you can be confident in Ms. Mechem’s leadership ability. She is well-versed in the daily operations of the District and will provide strong leadership until a permanent successor to Dr. Hall is in place. Ms. Mechem enjoys the support of an exceptional Central Office team and outstanding principals. In her career, she has served as a middle school and high school teacher, instructional coach, curriculum coordinator, assessment director, and assistant superintendent. Ms. Mechem has an Ed.S. from Central Missouri State University, a master’s degree in education/curriculum from Southwest Baptist University, and a bachelor’s degree in education/history from Southeast Missouri State University. Be assured, your students are in highly capable hands.

Our search for a successor to Dr. Hall remains on track. The executive search firm contracted by the MRH Board of Education, HYA & Associates, will continue its work on the established timeline to identify our next permanent superintendent. The succession plan developed by Dr. Hall will be a crucial part of that process; she will continue to play a role in it.

In a year filled with transitions and challenges, we want to assure our families that our mission remains unchanged: to inspire and prepare your children to become tomorrow’s leaders, scholars, stewards and citizens.

We wish the very best to all of our families, the most important partners in our educational mission.

The Maplewood Richmond Heights School District Board of Education

Katie Kaufmann, President; Francis Chmelir, Vice President; Maria Langston, Secretary; Wesley Robb, Treasurer; Ralph Posley, Director; Brandi Herndon-Miller, Director; Nikylan Knapper, Director.

This press release was produced by the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District. The views expressed are the author's own.