PECULIAR – The Raymore-Peculiar School District Board of Education has selected Mike Slagle, Ph.D., to serve as superintendent of the district, effective July 1, 2020. He will replace Superintendent Kari Monsees, Ph.D., who is retiring at the end of this school year.
In a special meeting on Saturday, Nov. 23, the Board officially approved hiring Slagle to serve as the next superintendent. Slagle is currently the deputy superintendent for the Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kan.
The Blue Valley School District has an enrollment of about 22,400 students.
School board members were pleased with the large pool of candidates who applied for the superintendent position, and selected eight candidates to interview.
Ray-Pec school board members said they were impressed with Slagle’s experience, leadership skills, financial expertise, experience working with a growing district, experience in strategic planning, and knowledge of initiatives currently under way in the district. He also has been involved in successful bond and levy campaigns.
Board President Ruth Johnson said, “The Board is excited to bring on Dr. Slagle. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will benefit our District in the years to come.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Board Member Kim York, who said, ”We believe Dr. Slagle can help us retain the small town, tight knit community we love, while at the same time help us to manage the growth our district is currently experiencing.”
Board Member Aaron Howlett appreciates Slagle’s previous experience dealing with mental health issues. “I respect his stance on mental health issues, particularly his district’s handling of teen suicides and efforts made to understand and combat suicide,” Howlett said. “He also seemed very aware of the stress administrators, teachers, and staff are under on a daily basis, which was comforting.”
Slagle said he is looking forward to his new role at Ray-Pec.
“I am beyond excited to become a part of the Ray-Pec family and community,” Slagle said. “This is a Board of Education and school district committed to educational excellence, student and staff success, and loyal community support. Those values parallel my values, and it excites me to be a part of that team.”
“As I did my research about the Ray-Pec superintendent opportunity, the one quality that was most often mentioned about the school district was the quality of its people,” he said. “Staff at Ray-Pec was consistently described as being a family, devoted to students, and committed to going above and beyond to ensure student success. That is the kind of school district I want to be a part of, and I am honored to become a part of this special place.”
Slagle has been with the Blue Valley School District for 25 years, most recently as deputy superintendent since 2015. He was assistant superintendent from 2006 to 2015, and was executive to the superintendent from 2004 to 2006. Earlier, he was Director of School Administration from 2000 to 2004 and Assistant Director for Planning and Transportation from 1994 to 2000.
He received his bachelor’s degree in education from Nebraska Christian College and a bachelor’s degree in social studies education from Wayne State College. He received his master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Iowa and his doctorate in organizational and education leadership from the University of Kansas.
Slagle and his wife, Jenny, have been married 29 years. They have two sons in college.
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