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Carolyn Compton, Sheldon's new principal
Born in Lees Summit and a graduate of its then only high school, Carolyn Compton, the new principal of Sheldon R-8 schools obtained her bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1990 and taught one year at a private school in Kansas City.
The following year, Compton taught at what turned out to be the last year of school at Metz, which is where her parents had attended.
At Sheldon since 1992, Compton has taught combined third and fourth grades, fourth and fifth grades, fourth grade by itself and as a departmentalized classroom teacher for fourth, fifth and sixth grade science and social studies. In 1999, Compton received a master's degree in elementary education.
As technology increased its importance as a teaching tool and as a subject itself, Compton made it her business to learn computers. The year 2000 saw the University of Missouri and the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education partner with other groups to form the enhancing Missouri's Instruction Networked Teaching Strategies program to assist schools in developing computer labs and train teachers to use technology in the classroom. As a certified eMINTS teacher and a trainer for another digital teaching resource called SuccessLink, Compton became the professional development technology instructor for the R-8 district as well as the professional learning communities director and coach.
In 2006, Compton was named a Select Teacher As Regional Resource for DESE and as such spent the 2007-08 school year providing professional development to teachers across Missouri. Compton has also served as an Accelerated Schools coach and co-curriculum director.
"For the longest time I thought the way I could have the most impact was by being a good classroom teacher," said Compton. "But as I started training teachers, first in our district and then across the state, I realized I could help far more as an administrator."
To that end, Compton continued her own education obtaining a master's and then a specialist's degree in administration.
When Compton returned to Sheldon in the fall of 2008 she was placed in charge of the elementary grades as assistant principal, a post she held through June of this year. Having spent 26 years in education, 25 of them at Sheldon, Compton will serve as principal of the entire school with Devin White, the new assistant principal, focusing on discipline issues and serving as athletic director.
"I'm one of those rare birds who actually enjoys the paperwork side of managing a school district," said Compton. "That's why, for the past three years, I functioned as assistant superintendent by taking care of the district's paperwork for Mr. Judd and I'm going to do the same for Mr. Irwin."
This will include DESE's accountability and accrediting program for school districts, attendance data, federal programs for school lunch and special needs, management of grants, along with transcripts and student schedules.
Said Compton, "Student schedules were new to me but the two things that will demand the most time are oversight of teacher instruction -- which will involve observation time in classrooms -- and the revision of our district's curriculum so that its scope and sequence harmonizes with the new Missouri Learning Standards."
In December of 2015, when Congress abolished the No Child Left Behind Act and replaced it with the largely state controlled Every Student Succeeds Act, Missouri's legislature fulfilled its obligation by establishing the state benchmarks known as Missouri Learning Standards.
"When the school board spoke with Mr. Irwin and myself following the announcement of Mr. Judd's departure, we discussed shaping the administrators' job descriptions to reflect our respective strengths," said Compton. "And I believe that's what we've done and what will best serve the district for the foreseeable future."
Compton and husband Mike have a farm situated three miles north of Sheldon, while daughter Morgan is about to start her junior year at Kansas State University and son Lane, will be a juniorat Sheldon high school.
"People put down rural schools assuming that they have poor teachers but I know for a fact that the staff here at Sheldon is highly qualified and most any district would be glad to have any of them," said Compton. "And none of them, me included, are here for the money! You have to want to be here and when you look at the low rate of turnover on our staff that says we have a qualified staff that is committed to providing the best for our students and this community."
Superintendent Irwin and principal Compton are putting a special emphasis on facilities and community relations for the coming year.
"Mr. Irwin has personally painted a lot of the walls and has seen to it that the gym floor was coated, a shower room will be redone and thanks to Ed Fowler and the alumni association, we will have a flagpole and new flag right behind our front sign," said Compton. "It's amazing what a new coat of paint and the removal of vines and brush can do for enhancing the pride we have in this school."
"Everyone knows this school is an important part of Sheldon but Mr. Irwin has reminded us that it's the people of our district who pay our salaries and so we need to listen to them, give them our best and make them proud," said Compton.
Small school districts cannot always afford to offer a wide variety of elective courses and may struggle to provide all required courses. Compton's familiarity with online instruction led to a proposal recently approved by the R-8 board which allows up to 10 students, each school period, to take an online course and each could be a different course.
"A lot of students are excited by this option," said Compton. "I was afraid it would mostly be electives but students have signed up for 10 different courses including chemistry, advanced computers and a number of dual credit courses that can give college credit. I'm particularly pleased that some who signed up are those who do their best work by themselves; the online format is perfect for them."
"This community wants high standards so its sons and daughters graduate ready for work, school or the military," said Compton. "I want to make sure this school is here for a long time to come, maybe for my own grandchildren. That's why I'm serious about making Sheldon R-8 schools cutting edge both academically and instructionally."