Nathan Holder, an assistant superintendent for the Festus R-6 School District, will leave at the end of this school year to take a similar job with the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District in the Kansas City area.
Holder’s title at Lee’s Summit will be assistant superintendent for business services.
“It was just an opportunity to work in school finances, which is something I enjoy,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the challenges and the opportunity to work in a larger school district.”
Festus R-6 has about 3,100 students, while Lee’s Summit has an enrollment of approximately 18,000.
Holder’s salary at Festus R-6 this year is $142,000.
The minimum salary for the assistant superintendent job with the Lee’s Summit School District would be $130,868, but that doesn’t include extra pay for experience and other factors, so Holder’s salary is still to be determined, said Sharon Griffin, human resource manager for the district.
Holder, 45, of Festus said he is from Houston in southern Missouri.
He said he and his wife, Chi, 44, and their two children – 8-year-old twins Jack and Lily – have appreciated their time in the Festus R-6 School District.
“It’s a little bittersweet because we love the Festus School District and the Festus community,” he said. “We’ll always be grateful for the opportunity here and the friends we’ve made the last eight years.”
Holder has worked as an assistant superintendent at Festus R-6 since July 2013. Before that he was superintendent of the Steelville R-3 School District.
The Festus R-6 Board of Education voted unanimously Feb. 26 to accept Holder’s resignation.
Superintendent Link Luttrell wished Holder well in his next job.
“Nathan has been a tremendous asset to Festus R-6,” Luttrell said. “He, along with his family, will be missed. Yet, he has been provided an excellent opportunity to continue in education doing what he loves most and that is school finance. I wish him the best moving forward.”
Luttrell said a search to replace Holder began immediately. Luttrell also said he hopes to have a candidate to fill the job to recommend to the school board by mid-April.
The district has one other assistant superintendent, Nicki Ruess.