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West Newsmagazine
is West St. Louis County's exclusive direct-mailed community newspaper. |
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| West Newsmagazine News |
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Rockwood superintendent to retireBy Diane Plattner
 Rockwood School District Superintendent Craig Larson last week surprised many when he announced his plans to retire after the 2009-10 school year.
In an e-mail to district staff on March 3, Larson said he plans to retire after the 2009-10 school year, which will be his 38th year as an educator and his seventh year as Rockwood’s superintendent. “I have a wife and kids and I turn 60 this year,” Larson said. “I would like to spend more time with my family and other interests.” Still, Larson said he loves his profession and working to help young people. “I have been fortunate to have the benefit of good health and family support to pursue my passion for working with teachers and students past the typical 30 years most educators devote to their careers,” Larson said. “At the same time, the parameters of the Public School Retirement System require that I retire from that system soon.” Larson said he discussed his situation with the Rockwood School Board. “I expressed my desire to continue as superintendent for the time needed for the district to secure a talented, top-notch superintendent who can support and continue the improvements we have been realizing for some time,” Larson said. Larson said there still are many issues to address while he completes his duties in Rockwood over the next 15 months, including:
Rockwood, under Larson’s direction, has received the state’s highest level of accreditation each year, improved high school ACT scores, increased the number of National Merit scholars and been recognized as a National District of Character. In addition, Larson was named the Communicator of the Year in 2005 by the Missouri School Public Relations Association and recently was recognized with the Leadership Through Communications Award by the American Association of School Superintendents, the National School Public Relations Association and Connect-Ed. Prior to coming to Rockwood, Larson served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Clayton School District. Prior to Clayton, he served as the Parkway School District South Area Superintendent from 1994-2000. He also was Parkway South High School’s principal and an assistant principal at Parkway Central High School and Parkway Central Middle School. He earned an Ed.D from Saint Louis University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Kansas. Reflecting on his entire career, Larson said he is most proud of his focus in helping good school districts get better. “Everyone wants to know about failing schools,” Larson said. “I like to take successful schools one step further. I’ve really enjoyed that in Rockwood, Parkway and Clayton. It is good for the health of society to open up opportunities for kids.” Upon his retirement from Rockwood, Larson said he plans to continue his involvement in education in some way, perhaps with college teaching or consulting work. He said he hopes, after his retirement, to see Rockwood’s continued focus on helping kids. “I hope Rockwood continues to find out kids’ passions and help them learn with one-on-one attention to every kid,” Larson said. “I think we’ve set that as a direction for the future. I hope to see progress in that direction. I also hope to see stability and leadership under another good strong superintendent.” Larson said he will always carry with him good memories of Rockwood. “My memories from Rockwood will be the positive relationships I have developed with staff, parents and community members,” Larson said. “The district is fortunate to have a remarkably talented and engaged staff. I also feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work with the most capable, most character-filled students of any within my career. They make me feel America’s future, in spite of current problems, is bright.”
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