Festus R-6 assistant superintendent Nicki Ruess will take over as the school district’s superintendent on July 1, replacing Link Luttrell, who is retiring. Luttrell recently announced he would retire from the Festus School District and then take a job as the superintendent of a Kansas school district.
The Festus Board of Education voted 6-0 March 17 to promote Ruess to lead the district.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected,” said Ruess, 48. “Festus is a high-performing school district, and I’m honored to serve it.”
District officials quickly moved to fill the top job after the board accepted Luttrell’s retirement on March 8.
“It is an exciting time to be a Festus Tiger,” said Todd Oetting, the board president. “Continuity and stability is an important factor in maintaining the forward momentum of the district, and Dr. Ruess is the best choice to do just that.”
The board looked for candidates within the school district first, and Ruess was the only applicant, district spokesman Kevin Pope said.
He said Ruess’ current annual salary as assistant superintendent is $145,000 and her salary as superintendent has not yet been determined.
Luttrell’s salary is $214,000 this school year.
Ruess has spent most of her educational career with the Festus R-6 district, working there in two stints, from 2001 to 2006 as a teacher, sponsor, coach and principal and returning to Festus in 2012 as assistant superintendent. She also has worked as a teacher and principal for the Crystal City School District.
“I have been in education 27 years, and 15 of them have been at Festus,” Ruess said. “I’ve been 10 years back at Festus as assistant superintendent. I am invested in Festus.”
Luttrell, who will become superintendent of the Spring Hill School District in Spring Hill, Kan., on July 1, said he supports the board’s decision to promote Ruess.
“Dr. Ruess has been an integral part of the success of the Festus R-6 School District over the past 10 years,” he said. “This is a position she has been working toward for some time now. I am confident she will continue to move the district forward as it faces new challenges.”
Ruess said she has appreciated working with Luttrell.
“I think Dr. Luttrell has done quite the job,” she said. “He leaves big shoes to fill. He’s been a great mentor for me. I want to keep the momentum going in all areas of academics, staffing, facilities and community involvement.”
Ruess and her husband, Doug, a former Crystal City police chief, have two children and live in Festus.
The school board will immediately begin a search for someone to replace Ruess, one of the district’s two assistant superintendents, Pope said.
Jonathan Earnhart is the other Festus R-6 assistant superintendent.