The USD 490 Board of Education unanimously approved Jenifer Davis as the district’s new Superintendent beginning July 1, 2023 during a regular board meeting on Jan. 9.
Davis began her career in education in Liberal, Kan. where she worked for eight years before joining the USD 490 team as an assistant principal at El Dorado Middle School in 2017. She spent two years in that role, then transitioned to the assistant principal position at El Dorado High School where she worked for another two years. In 2021, Davis accepted an Executive Director of Instructional Support position in our district, which she will continue to fill as she transitions into the Superintendency.
“This is going to be good for the district,” Interim Superintendent Miles Harvey said. “She is passionate about our schools and loves our community - which is exactly what we need.”
In a document shared with the board of education, Davis outlined her plans to support the district’s Strategic Plan which includes four main pillars: student-centered learning and education programs; responsive culture and supports; creating positive climate; and strong fiscal and resource management.
As part of her commitment to provide quality instruction for students, Davis plans to closely monitor and evaluate goal progress for the district as a whole as well as for staff and students. This will allow her to identify areas where additional professional development or student supports might be needed to ensure continued growth for both staff and students.
Having worked in both the school and district office settings, Davis understands the importance of a positive school climate. She will work to be supportive of staff as she navigates the delicate balance between employee and district needs.
“It’s all about our students,” Davis said. “We need to support staff and help them learn and grow so they can provide the very best opportunities for our students to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful.”
Our district is fortunate to have strong community supports. As a proponent of honest, open communication, Davis plans to nurture those relationships by proviidng opportunities for stakeholder feedback and sharing the great things that are happening in USD 490 schools each day.
Another important area of district leadership is strong fiscal and resource management. To support a healthy financial status, Davis plans to work with staff to identify current and upcoming needs, explore options for more efficiency of resources, and develop a long-range capital outlay plan that will guide district spending by highlighting priorities and anticipating future needs.
Davis is meeting with staff during the next few weeks to provide them with an opportunity to ask any questions they may have. She will be meeting with local civic groups to introduce herself and chat with them about the district throughout the rest of this semester and invites the pubic to meet her during the following district events:
- Tuesday, February 21: 6:30 p.m. at EHS in front of the Wildcat mosaic before the varsity basketball game.
- Friday, March 3: 8:00 a.m. at the EHS Activity Center before the KAY blood drive
- Tuesday, March 7: 6:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center before the EMS band and orchestra concert
- Sunday, April 2: 4:00 p.m. in the EHS Commons before the EHS Band BBQ and concert