FAYETTEVILLE -- Besides naming Bill Blankenship the high school's new football coach, the School Board on Wednesday also brought on two new administrators -- an associate superintendent and Happy Hollow Elementary School's principal.
The board voted without opposition to name Steven Weber, a district curriculum director in North Carolina, as associate superintendent for teaching and learning. He'll be one of three associate superintendents under superintendent Matthew Wendt starting next month.
Dondi Frisinger, an elementary principal in Springdale, will step into the same post at Happy Hollow.
Tim Hudson, the board's president, said Wednesday's brief meeting was called to make sure the district didn't lose "quality leadership." The room burst into applause after the vote.
Weber, a Springdale native, will step in for Kay Jacoby, who was executive director for curriculum, instruction, assessment and accountability until her retirement earlier this year, district spokesman Alan Wilbourn said. Jacoby worked in education for almost 50 years, including five in Fayetteville.
Weber will oversee all academic departments, including curriculum and assessment for students and staff, according to a news release from the district. He's coming off a similar position for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in Chapel Hill, N.C. Wendt in the release called him a "national leader" in the area and praised his experience.
Weber will be paid $130,000 a year, about $8,000 more than Jacoby.
Frisinger taught for eight years in Rogers before moving to administration in Springdale 18 years ago. She said she aimed to treat her students the same way she'd treat her own children, calling school "a second home." Frisinger added she values a "learning culture" making kids comfortable with risk, failure and perseverance.
"If they don't know how to do something, it's that they don't know how to do something yet," she said, adding the school's administration has established a "solid foundation" for education.
Frisinger replaces Sharon Pepple, who's been principal at Happy Hollow for 21 of her 3̶1̶ 38* years in education.
Pepple led Happy Hollow during the introduction of a type of year-round school calendar to Fayetteville School District, she said Wednesday. Happy Hollow, Asbell Elementary School and Owl Creek School are on a continuous learning calendar. The Happy Hollow staff under Pepple's leadership also implemented a comprehensive reading program and a model for teachers working in teams to analyze test scores and in-class grading systems, she said.
Pepple said she's ready to have more time to spend with grandchildren and for traveling.
"It was time to give the teachers an opportunity to work with someone else," she said.
Frisinger's salary will be about $98,500, just above Pepple's $97,000 salary.
NW News on 06/09/2016
*CORRECTION: Happy Hollow Principal Sharon Pepple is retiring after 38 years in education. The information was incorrect in this article.