Welcome to Green Ridge R-VIII School District! This is a GR-8 place to learn!

My wife, Erica (Talbott), and I both graduated from Cole Camp High school.  We continued our education at State Fair Community College earning our AA degrees and participating in the Show Choir for 3 years.  We finished our bachelors degrees at CMSU (UCM), hers in finance and mine in secondary mathematics education with a minor in accounting.  We moved to Clinton to begin our careers where I taught HS math for 4 years and during that time I returned to UCM to earn my Masters degree in secondary administration.  I started teaching math during night classes as an adjunct professor for SFCC at the Clinton campus which I did for a couple years. When a HS math teaching position in Lincoln opened up we decided we would start making our way back home so I applied.  I taught there for 2 years as a Cardinal. In 2012 I decided to put my administration degree to use and accepted the position as Smithton HS principal.  My family and I moved to Sedalia and were Smithton Tigers for 10 years. In 2017 I earned my Education Specialist degree in School leadership from UCM.  Erica and I have 3 children Conner (18), Anna (15) and Alex (11). In 2022 I was offered the High School Principal position back home in Cole Camp, for the last 3 years I have continued my principal career and shown my kids what it means to be a Bluebird. We were lucky enough to find a home to purchase just off 65 hwy on the West side of the Cole Camp district where we continue to live. I've heard wonderful things about the GR8 staff team, students and patrons in Green Ridge and look forward to experiencing them for myself as the next superintendent.

If you are reading this, I have to assume you are invested in the Green Ridge school District. You only get one first impression and I want you to know your school did not disappoint. Your facilities are modern looking and clean. Your people are friendly, thoughtful and warm. You are doing some fantastic things throughout the day and your academic success speaks for itself. I am humbled and thankful to be given this chance to apply my skills at the district level. I am eager for this opportunity to learn new things and the challenges that I'm sure will await me. My first and maybe most important task will be to learn the traditions and values of Green Ridge so I can make decisions that continue the Green Ridge culture. So when you see me around, please introduce yourself, let me know how I can best represent the community and help me to be the best superintendent I can be. Hopefully making you proud and one day I can be considered a member of the Green Ridge Tiger family.