The De Soto Board of Education has added another year to Superintendent Ron Farrow’s contract, extending it through the 2028-2029 school year, and approved contracts for assistant superintendents Shawn Brown and Joshua Phipps through the 2027-2028 school year.
The board voted unanimously on Feb. 19 to approve the extensions, as well as 15 other administrators’ contracts for the 2026-2027 school year.
Contracts had already been approved in November for Athena Principal Meagan Wagner-Westermayer and assistant superintendent Dustin Stockmann.
Farrow, the former assistant superintendent, has served as the superintendent since July of 2024 when Josh Isaacson retired. The board first approved his three-year contract in December 2023, extending it by a year last spring and by another year this February. Farrow’s salary this school year is $159,500 and will increase to $165,000 next school year.
Brown and Phipps also began their administrative roles in July 2024. Brown’s salary as assistant superintendent of curriculum will increase from $130,200 to $131,600 next year. Phipps’ salary as assistant superintendent of operations will increase from $124,600 to $126,000.
Farrow said as he looks ahead to the next several years, the primary focus will be maintaining academic excellence, supporting staff and ensuring long-term financial stability.
“Over the past two years, I have been incredibly proud of how our staff, students, and community have come together to continue moving the district forward,” Farrow said. “Our teachers and support staff have done an outstanding job maintaining strong student achievement, and we were honored to rank fourth in the county in our composite APR scores.
“This is especially meaningful given that our district is near the bottom of the county in terms of enrollment size and available funding, which speaks to the tremendous dedication and effectiveness of our staff and their unwavering focus on student success.”
Farrow believes the district has continued to expand opportunities for students and the $19 million Prop 4 Dragons bond issue, which passed in April 2024, has allowed the district to make improvements districtwide.
“We have made significant facility improvements, including a fully renovated stadium and, by the end of this summer, new roofs and HVAC systems in every building,” Farrow said. “These upgrades ensure safe, comfortable, and high-quality learning environments for students and staff, along with continued investments in technology and infrastructure to support instruction.”
Farrow said recent budgets are more conservative and realistic. He said Missouri school districts are navigating financial challenges.
“As we transitioned out of pandemic-era provisions, including the use of higher historical enrollment numbers and the conclusion of ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency) funding, the district experienced a structural funding shift that contributed to deficit spending,” he said. “At the same time, uncertainty at the state level and ongoing legislative discussions continue to create an unpredictable funding landscape for public education.”
In response, Farrow said the district is taking proactive and responsible steps.
“We are developing a budget for next year that reduces expenditures by nearly $2 million, positioning the district toward a balanced budget while continuing to prioritize student programs and fiscal stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” he said. “We are grateful for the strong community support that has allowed us to address major facility needs through bond funding while we strategically right-size our operating budget.”
Salaries
De Soto School District administrative salaries for 2026-2027 school year:
■ Ron Farrow, superintendent: $165,000
■ Shawn Brown, assistant superintendent: $131,600
■ Joshua Phipps, assistant superintendent: $126,000
■ Jonathan Roop, high school principal: $117,525
■ Zebulon Hammond, junior high principal: $100,531.25
■ Christina Bourbon, director of special education: $97,131.25
■ Russ Schmidt, high school assistant principal/athletic director: $94,625
■ Melissa Dunnegan, Vineland Elementary principal: $94,437.50
■ Meagan Wagner-Westermayer, Athena Elementary principal: $92,250
■ Deana Pope, technology director: $92,181.25
■ James Buechting, high school assistant principal: $85,531.25
■ Christopher Krueger, high school/junior high assistant principal: $86,625
■ Travis Rogers, maintenance director: $86,618.75
■ Nick Stearns, junior high assistant principal: $81,175
■ Nicole Spruell, director of communications: $79,593.75
■ Diana Casey, director of Early Childhood Center: $77,750
■ Layna Richardson, Vineland Elementary assistant principal: $74,025
■ Dustin Stockmann, Athena Elementary assistant principal: $72,100
■ Eric Young, transportation director: $65,600
■ Andrea Duffner-Davis, PAT director: $57,275
■ Next year, Will Nunn’s status as lead at the Dragon Annex (for students with special needs) will change from an administrator role to a lead teacher role. Farrow said Nunn will still be leading that program but as a lead teacher. His salary will be $69,967 next year while this year it was $97,718.75.