Two Rockwood Administrators to Retire, 4 New Positions Announced

Rockwood School District officials recently announced two members of the nine members of the superintendent's cabinet will retire at the end of the school year - Dennis Griffith and Steve Beatty.

The other members of the Rockwood cabinet are:

• Assistant Superintendent Human Resources Kelvin McMillin
• Chief Financial and Legislative Officer Tim Rooney
• Chief Communications Officer Kim Cranston
• Director of Technology Will Blaylock
• Executive Director of Secondary Education Jim Wipke
• Executive Director of PreK–Elementary Education Karen Hargadine
• Executive Director of Learning & Support Services Karen Kieffer

Rockwood Board of Education directors at the Jan. 17 board meeting approved the following four new district-level positions:

1. Executive Director of Student Services: This position will assume some of the duties of the position of the Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, which will not be replaced. View the job description.
2. Director of Professional Learning: This position will develop, coordinate and oversee all Professional Learning for the district. View the job description.
3. Director of Research, Evaluation and Assessment: This position will replace the former Coordinator of Testing position, which is being eliminated. View the job description.
4. Coordinator of Web Systems: This position will work of school improvement plans, Professional Learning Communities and scorecards. View the job description.

Dennis Griffith Background Summary
For the past 18 years, Assistant Superintendent Dennis Griffith managed district facilities and maintenance, in addition to overseeing school safety initiatives and student discipline, according to a Rockwood announcement. Since joining Rockwood in 1995, student enrollment has increased 10 percent to its current size of nearly 22,000 students.   

“The fondest memory I have from my career in Rockwood is the excitement of planning how to meet all of the challenges we had as a district when we were growing by 500 to 1,000 students each year,” said Griffith. “The improvements we’ve made to our schools and grounds have helped enhance the learning atmosphere for our students and staff.”   

When asked what he’ll miss the most, Griffith said the relationships he’s built.

“I truly believe strong relationships are critical in school business and in life,” he said. “Rockwood has been one of the top school districts in the country for many years because of our staff, parents, community members and business partners. I’m proud to have worked for this district for so many years.” 

Upon retirement, Griffith plans to travel more with his wife as well as spend time with his children and grandchildren. In a Rockwood communication, he said he also would like to remain active in his church and spend time golfing, fishing and gardening.

Steve Beatty Background Summary
As a member of Rockwood’s senior leadership team, Chief Information Officer Steve Beatty managed all aspects of technology, including instructional and administrative systems, infrastructure and support services.     

Since joining Rockwood nearly a decade ago, the district has made several significant changes to its technology. “Over the years, we’ve established a solid technology foundation that includes dedicated staff, up-to-date infrastructure and strong business practices,” said Beatty. 

“We’ve worked diligently to standardize the technology resources in classrooms to help ensure all students at all Rockwood schools have access to current instructional technology.” 

In a Rockwood announcement, Beatty said he’s optimistic about the district’s future. 

“It’s been a rewarding career experience at Rockwood and I leave with many friends and great memories. Rockwood is fortunate to have terrific students, engaged parents and dedicated staff. I believe that great combination will help Rockwood continue to achieve remarkable results.”

In a Rockwood communication, Beatty said he plans to keep fairly busy upon retirement. “I have a few home projects waiting for me and some travel plans. After some period of time, I’ll probably be thinking about possible post-Rockwood callings.”