Fox C-6 assistant superintendent Tammy Cardona will retire at the end of this school year, ending her 27-year career with the district.
Cardona, 57, of Hillsboro has been the district’s assistant superintendent for secondary education since 2019. Her final day with Fox C-6 will be June 30.
“The decision to retire from the district feels right at this time,” Cardona said. “I think any time you are making a life-changing decision, like the decision to retire, it is hard, but you also know when it is time.”
Superintendent Paul Fregeau said it will be an emotional time when Cardona leaves in June.
“Her heart for kids is unbelievable,” said Fregeau, who has been the Fox C-6 superintendent since July 2021. “Everything she does is to try to make things great for kids or to improve things for kids. She wants to take care of every kid in the district and help them have the best experience they can.”
The district posted an opening for the assistant superintendent for secondary education on Oct. 22 and will accept applications for the job through Nov. 2.
Fox C-6 posted a salary range of $151,000 to $183,574 for the position. Cardona’s salary for this school year is $165,546.
Fregeau and Nathan Burch, assistant superintendent for human resources, said Fox C-6 would like to name the next assistant superintendent for secondary education before winter break, which runs from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2.
“A goal is to have somebody in place so they can have a good transition with Tammy, so on July 1, they can hit the ground running and have some context behind what the role is, what the needs are and what our buildings are doing well and how we can support them,” Burch said.
Cardona said she will help the next assistant superintendent with that transition.
“I was fortunate enough that when I took on this role, the previous assistant superintendent of secondary (Nisha Patel) had moved into the superintendent role and was just down the hallway to guide me when I had questions.”
Patel was the Fox C-6 superintendent from July 2019 through June 2021 before leaving to take a job as superintendent of the School District of Clayton.
“My plan is to give support to this new person over the course of the second semester, have him or her come beside me to experience what a day entails, get them in front of the secondary administration team and help them develop their goals and vision for the future of our secondary schools.”
Fox C-6 career
Cardona was hired as a third grade teacher at Antonia Elementary School in August 1999. She worked there, teaching various grades, until 2005, when she became an assistant principal at Ridgewood Middle School.
Then, Cardona became an assistant principal at Fox High School in 2006 before moving to Seckman High School in 2009, also as an assistant principal. She was promoted to principal at Seckman Middle in 2010 and took over the assistant superintendent for secondary education role in July 2019.
“The most rewarding experience for me has been being able to serve at all three educational levels in this district,” she said. “From teaching in the elementary to serving in administrative roles at both the middle school and high schools, I have had the full experience of watching the littles come in for their first days of school in elementary, to working toward their college and career goals in high school. No other profession gives you a front row seat to this amazing time in students’ lives.”
Fregeau said Cardona has a passion for working with students that will be hard to replace.
“The true heart she has for anything she is working on, whether it is middle school and high school data to help them improve their attendance or academic performance or at a student hearing, when she is our hearing officer, her heart for each kid hurts when she has to make tough decisions when kids make a bad decision,” he said. “It really bothers her, and that is because of the heart she has for kids.”
Cardona earned a bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State and a master’s degree from Baptist University. She also earned a doctorate from Missouri Baptist University and served as a mentor for new principals through the Missouri Leadership Development Program.
Fregeau said Cardona has helped the district use data more effectively.
“She has monthly data dashboards with (secondary staff members) now,” he said. “They are looking at everything from academic performance through attendance on a monthly basis.”
Cardona said she credits Fox C-6 teachers for recent improvements in graduation rate, some achievement levels and increased student participation in extracurricular activities.
“It is the teachers in front of our students who make the difference,” she said. “These students come to school because they love their teachers, their school and the opportunities they have.”
Fregeau said Cardona recently helped plan for the upcoming move of the Bridges Alternative School from the basement of the Central Office on the Fox schools campus at 751 Jeffco Blvd. to a space in a shopping plaza across the street from the campus. District officials said Fox C-6 plans to start holding classes at the new alternative school location, 2116 Tenbrook Road, in Arnold, early next year.
The Bridges program provides students at Fox and Seckman high schools with a learning environment separate from traditional classrooms. Bridges students are able to complete course work they have fallen behind in to keep them on track to graduate, according to the district’s website, foxc6.org.
She put in 99 percent of the work on (those plans),” Fregeau aid.
Saying goodbye
Cardona said interactions with staff members and students will be what she misses the most after leaving Fox C-6.
“The highlight of each of my years is welcoming the teachers back that first day after summer break,” she said. “The energy and excitement they bring to our classrooms and students is so heartwarming to witness firsthand.
“The other precious memories I have are graduations. It doesn’t matter how many graduations I attend, it always brings tears to my eyes. That moment when you watch those students walk across the stage, that is what we do.”
Cardona said during retirement she plans to spend more time with her seven grandchildren, who range between the ages of 1 and 18.
She said her husband, Ty, retired from the Mehlville Fire Protection District in April. The couple has three grown children – Trisha (Cardona) Fribis, Tyler Cardona and Travis Cardona.
Tammy Cardona said Fox C-6 will remain close to her heart, not just because of her time working for the district, but because of the impact the district has had on her family.
“My dad went to school at Fox, my in-laws went to school at Fox, as well as all three of my own children who graduated from Seckman. This district has poured into my own family and kids long before I started working here.
“I have always believed God places us where he wants us to be, and I am forever grateful and have been blessed to be a part of this amazing district. I am excited to hand the baton over to the next leader and look forward to the great achievements ahead for our district and our students.”