The Hickman Mills School District has selected its own Yolanda Cargile to serve as its new superintendent.
Cargile is currently associate superintendent of student services at Hickman Mills.
Current superintendent Dennis Carpenter is leaving the district at the end of June to serve as superintendent in the Lee's Summit school district.
Under Carpenter, Hickman Mills retained provisional accreditation with the state. But last year's annual performance score was the lowest of any metro district. After those scores were released in November, Carpenter sharply criticized the state's accountability system, saying it was biased against high-poverty districts.
The district also has the state's second highest student mobility rate, which means a high number of students transfer in and out of of the district during the school year.
Cargile been with the district since 2015. Before that, she served as director of student services in the Janesville school district in Wisconsin.
The Hickman Mills Board of Education voted unanimously to pick Cargile. In a release, Board President Darrell Curls called Cargile "the ideal selection."
“She has been part of all recent initiatives," he said. "I am confident she will continue to move our district goals forward and improve student performance, while providing leadership and guidance throughout the district and community. To top it off, she is a Ruskin graduate!"
According to the release, Cargile has "implemented programs to reduce expulsions and addressed the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students."
The board will enter contract negotiations with Cargile this week. Carpenter's current salary is $185,000.
Lisa Rodriguez is a reporter and the afternoon newscaster for KCUR. Connect with her on Twitter @larodrig.
