The Great Bend USD 428 administrative team will see quite a bit of shuffling this summer as one longtime principal leaves the district, another accepts a new position at the District Education Center and two teachers earn places at the table.
Jefferson School Principal Art Baker has been named superintendent/high school principal at Clifton-Clyde School District headquartered in Cloud County. His vacancy will be filled by Kip Wilson, Great Bend Middle School teacher and assistant athletic director.
Eisenhower School Principal Tricia Reiser has accepted the expanded position of federal programs director, a role currently being handled on a part-time basis by Khris Thexton, assistant superintendent and director of finance and business operations.
The principal position at Eisenhower School has been filled by Laurie Harwood, instructional math coach at Eisenhower.
Baker was hired as a sixth-grade teacher at Jefferson School in 2002 before being named principal in 2007.
Wilson was hired for the 2014-15 school year as a physical education teacher and assistant athletic director at GBMS. He has a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Bethany College and a master’s degree in educational administration from Fort Hays State University.
Wilson’s teaching career began in Osage County where he taught social studies and coached for two years. He moved to a similar position at the Chase County school district for two years and Wellington for another two years.
In 2011 he became the activities and athletic director in Ellinwood where he remained for three years until he was hired by USD 428. He is married to Cortnea Wilson, GBMS science teacher.
Reiser has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in school leadership from Baker University.
She was hired as the principal at Eisenhower School in 2005. She previously taught elementary school in Junction City and Winfield. She also teaches graduate studies at Baker University. She is married to David Reiser, GBMS principal.
Laurie Harwood, who will be the new Eisenhower School principal, has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in school administration, both from FHSU. She has taught in Great Bend since 1986, first at Washington and then at Eisenhower School. More recently she was a math facilitator at GBMS and an instructional math coach at Eisenhower.