ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The Normandy Schools Collaborative has decided who will be its next superintendent after the previous district leader resigned in June amid calls for his termination.
Dr. Michael Triplett, the assistant superintendent of operations for Olathe Public Schools in Kansas, will be the district's next superintendent.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been chosen to serve the students, staff, and community of the Normandy Schools Collaborative,” said Dr. Triplett. “I look forward to becoming an active member of the community, building relationships and partnerships that will support outstanding opportunities for our students and move the district toward full accreditation.”
Dr. Triplett began his career as a St. Louis Public Schools substitute teacher. He has served as principal of Paideia Academy, assistant principal of Vashon High School, principal of Sumner High School, in addition to other leadership positions.
“Dr. Triplett is the right person to lead the Normandy Schools Collaborative at this crucial time,” said Ron Roberts, president of the district's Joint Executive Governing Board. “This role is critical to our ongoing progress as a district. His leadership experience and capacity to accelerate speed to trust and success with school improvement are invaluable as we look to the district’s future."
Last Wednesday, the district held a community forum to allow residents to ask questions of Triplett and two other candidates: Howard Fields, the assistant superintendent of human resources for the Kirkwood School District, and Bruce Green, the director of secondary education for the Ritenour School District.
The district's governing board met in an executive session Wednesday night to approve the hire. Staff members were told about it on Thursday.
The district's previous superintendent, Marcus Robinson, was the subject of calls for termination after being hired in 2020 without the necessary credentials. He never obtained the credentials, including state licensure.
Since 2014, the district has been under the control of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In a move toward local control, voters elected two members to the board in April—the first time that had happened in eight years.