RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Both Conway High School campuses have new principals, but the men are familiar faces in the district.
Joel Linn, 37, was transferred earlier this month from his position as principal of Conway High School-East, where he’d been for one year, totake over at the west campus.
He replaced Rodney Matheney, who resigned effective July 13 as CHS-West principal to become deputy superintendent of academic accountability in the Pulaski County Special School District. Matheney had been principal since 2007.
Ben Broyles, 37, who was one of Linn’s assistant principals on the east campus, become principal July 19.
He said the position was posted for a week
“Time was of the essence,” Broyles said. “I stepped out there to steady the waters.”
Conway Superintendent Greg Murry said it had been known since June that Matheney might be moving to another job, and Linn was asked to take over as soon as Matheney made his decision.
“It was very quick, ... and high school principals are probably the rarest breed of administrators - to find a quality high school principal - there are fewer of them out there anyway in the state,” Murry said. “Being a high school principal is not an easy job. It’s one of the toughest, if not the toughest, in the district.
“The time frame did cause some problems here because it’s very late in the year,” Murry added, noting that other educators who might be interested in the principal’s job might have commitments.
Because Linn transferred tothe same position within the district, the school board does not have to approve the move, Murry said.
In its August meeting, the school board will be asked to approve the transfer of Broyles because he went from assistant principal to principal.
“It would have to take an unusual set of circumstances for that not to happen,” Murry said. “I can’t even fathom what those circumstances would be.”
There were other applicants for the east-campus principal’s position, Murry said, “but Mr. Broyles is the right person for the job.”
One of the looming issues that would impact both schools is the proposed 1.9-mill increase for the district in the Tuesday, Sept. 21, school election.
It would make the east campus, which has 1,390 ninth- and 10th-graders, a school for eighthand ninth-graders.
The west campus, with an enrollment of 1,299, would house grades 10-12, and a new high school facility would be built infront of the existing structure, which would be torn down, according to the plan.
Linn and Broyles agreed it’s an important move for the district.
“I’m very, very excited about the opportunity to work at Conway High School-West,” Linn said, “and excited even more if we get the opportunity to build a new facility and restructure and make it the top-performing high school in the state.
“Right now, it’s nothing short of phenomenal what these teachers have been able to do with the kind of facilitywe have, especially in the science department. Teachers have been very creative to help us stay within state standards, but it’s no secret the new space is needed.
“If we want to be able to provide our kids with a 21st-century education, [the facility] needs updating. We need that lab space; we need those computer labs.”
With a new facility, “I think the potential here is limitless,” Linn added.
“My whole focus is staying the course,” said Broyles, who has been in the district for three years. “Mr. Linn set us on a good course.
“What the east campus will become is what I really enjoy. I love the junior high. That configuration fits here. The facilities here fit that transition.”
He said he has a good relationship with the two assistant principals, and a third will be hired.
Broyles, who will turn 38 on Sunday, is originally from Pine Bluff. He taught in the Little Rock School District for seven years. He and his wife, Paris, have three children: De’ja, 10; Charity, 6; and Benjamin, 4.
His salary is $75,703.
Linn, who grew up in Hughes,is married to Feather Linn. He is a former English teacher in the Vilonia School District. He spent four years as principal of Mayflower High School and two years as Heber Springs High School principal before taking the principal’s job in the Conway School District.
His salary is $86,000.
- tkeith@ arkansasonline.com
River Valley Ozark, Pages 60 on 07/29/2010