Echelle retained as Keota school super

By Doug Russell, News Editor

KEOTA, Jan. 14 — She’s doing a good job, no doubt. And the Keota Board of Education affirmed that fact Monday night when it voted 5-0 to retain Rita Echelle as the superintendent for Keota Public Schools.

“Of course I’m happy about it,” said Echelle, who took the reins of the school district last spring, amid a cloud of economic bad news.

Community and school staff members rallied, bringing the school out of a well of debt to a point that the schools are now weathering major cuts in funding.

Some staff members have taken on additional responsibilities as the school district absorbed positions to help with funding. For example, the high school principal not only has his administrative duties, but also coaches and teaches class. Echelle herself continues to wear the dual hats of elementary school principal and superintendent. In addition, Butch Booth fills in as a Dean of Students at the elementary school, and also coaches and teaches.

“I try to get as much bang for my buck as I can,” Echelle said. “With everyone jumping in and doing more, it’s working.”

For more on this story, pick up this week's Stigler News-Sentinel. To subscribe, call 918-967-4655.

This website and the contents therein copyright ©2010 News-Sentinel Inc. Downloading or reproduction of any material in whole or in part is prohibited without expressed permission from News Sentinel Inc.