The State Board of Education has
selected Hazelwood School District Superintendent, Dr. Chris L.
(Wright) Nicastro, as the commissioner of education for the state of
Missouri. As the lead educational agent in the state, the
commissioner heads the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education, which provides support and leadership for more than 500
school districts statewide.
Wright has been the superintendent for HSD for the past
seven years. She was recognized last fall by the Missouri
Association of School Administrators as Missouri Superintendent of
the Year.
Mark Behlmann, president of the HSD Board of Education,
said that although he does not want to see Dr. Wright leave
Hazelwood, he is excited that her leadership skills will be used to
benefit students statewide.
“The way I see it, Hazelwood School District is in a
win-win situation,” he said. “The positive direction Dr. Wright has
set for our District will now influence education statewide. I know
she will also keep a watchful eye on our District.”
During Wright’s tenure in HSD, the District, through the
Hazelwood 1st public engagement initiative, developed a
three-phase facility improvement plan resulting in the passage of
two bond issues and the opening of four new middle schools.
The District developed common assessments
for all core areas, aligned professional development with the
accountability system and adopted a new district-wide reading
program, writing program, math curriculum, and science curriculum.
Furthermore, HSD implemented a Project Lead the Way
(PLTW) pre-engineering program in grades 7-12, added full-day
kindergarten, renovated 19 elementary schools, added a new library
at Hazelwood Central High School and constructed new space for the
early childhood and gifted programs.
Behlmann said he expects the Board will expect Dr. Wright’s
replacement to follow through on the plans that have been put in
place to improve instruction and academic achievement at all levels.
“Whomever we hire in her place is going to have to be 100
percent behind the plan, or they are not going to get the job,” he
said. “The Board of Education is committed to continuing to
implement and advance the plan already in place.”
The HSD Board of Education will discuss
the transition process and the search for a new superintendent
during the regularly scheduled board meeting on July
28.