The De Soto School District has new leadership at Athena Elementary School and at the Dragon Annex this school year. The district also has a new director of special education.
In July, the De Soto Board of Education voted unanimously to switch Will Nunn from principal at Athena Elementary to principal/lead at the Dragon Annex, which enrolls students with special needs. The board also voted unanimously to promote Athena assistant principal Meagan Wagner-Westermayer to interim principal at the school and Athena teacher Dustin Stockmann to interim assistant principal, Superintendent Ron Farrow said.
He said Wagner-Westmeyer and Stockmann will serve in the interim roles throughout the current school year, and the district will name a principal and assistant principal for the 2026-2027 school year.
Also at the July school board meeting, Christina Bourbon was hired as the director of special services (special education), replacing Debbie Killingsworth who resigned in June to take another job.
Nunn
Farrow said the former Annex lead, Amy Walters, retired on June 30, and her retirement, which Walters formally announced in March, gave the district the opportunity to make some changes.
Farrow said Walters did not have administrator certification, so evaluations of the four Annex staff members were completed by the director of special services. With Nunn now serving as the lead, he will handle the Annex staff evaluations.
Farrow said Nunn’s salary remains the same at $97,718.75. Walters had been paid $68,350.
“I’m very excited about the new position,” Nunn said on Aug. 21. “While I will, of course, miss the Athena community, I’m excited to use my skills and knowledge to help all the students at the Dragon Annex grow, learn and succeed. The year is starting off well, and we have absolutely amazing kids, staff and parents at the Dragon Annex.”
Nunn, 40, of Springdale had been Athena’s principal since 2023. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant principal in the Parkway School District, the Northwest School District and at Confluence Academy, a charter school in St. Louis. He also taught sixth grade English in the Mehlville School District.
Nunn has a bachelor’s degree in teaching history, English and social studies from Truman State University and a master’s degree in teaching and educational administration, a specialist degree and a doctoral degree in teaching and learning education, all from Missouri Baptist University.
Earlier this year, Nunn was named the 2025 Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals Exemplary New Principal for the Jefferson County Region.
Wagner-Westermayer
Wagner-Westermayer, 41, of Festus, who had been Athena’s assistant principal since 2023, was making $74,987.50 in that job. As the interim principal, she is paid $92,250.
“This is the start of my third year as an administrator,” Wagner-Westermayer said.
Prior to her job as assistant principal, she was an elementary school teacher for 17 years.
“Our year is off to a great start,” she said. “We are continuing the amazing momentum started back in the spring and jumping right into the new school year. I am honored to be the interim principal at Athena and feel it is a privilege to step into this role.
“I get to serve an amazing staff and incredible group of students each day. I am really looking forward to all of the great things we will accomplish together this year.”
Wagner-Westermayer graduated from De Soto High School in 2002. She also attended Athena Elementary as a student.
She said she is happy to be working in the building.
“I am proud to come back to my roots,” she said. “My grandma was the secretary at Athena for many years, and my dad was a bus driver. I’m home. It feels really special to be back where my love of teaching first began.”
Wagner-Westermayer and her husband, Greg, have three daughters.
Stockmann
Stockmann, 38, of De Soto said stepping into the interim assistant principal role has been exciting and rewarding.
“School has been going really well this year,” he said. “There’s a great energy in the building, and it’s been wonderful to see both students and staff starting the year strong at Athena. I’m truly honored to support our school community in this capacity and am looking forward to what the rest of the year holds at Athena.”
Farrow said Stockmann was earning $54,775 as a teacher and is being paid $72,100 as assistant principal.
Stockmann just started his 16th year in education and his third year at De Soto. He previously taught science courses at De Soto Junior High.
He has a doctoral of education degree from Lindenwood University, along with other degrees and certificates.
“Dr. Stockmann brings with him valuable prior administrative experience and will be a strong addition to our leadership team,” according to a written statement from the district.
Special services
Bourbon said she was excited to be named the director of special services.
Farrow said Killingsworth was being paid $105,187.50 and Bourbon’s salary is $96,125.
Bourbon’s career in special education began 15 years ago, and her most recent position was as the process coordinator at Northwest High School. Her first day at De Soto was on July 1.
She said she has lived in Hillsboro for 51 years and has many family members and friends in the De Soto area.
“The last two weeks with new staff and returning staff have been amazing,” she said. “I spent Wednesday (Aug. 20) out in the buildings meeting students. It has been a great start to the new school year.”
Bourbon, 51, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in elementary education, a master’s degree from Arizona State University in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on applied behavioral analysis and an educational specialist degree from Arkansas State University in educational leadership with an emphasis on director of special education.
She taught at the Hillsboro R-3 School District from 2011 to 2018 before taking the job at the Northwest R-1 School District as process coordinator.
Bourbon and her significant other, Ronnie, have three children and a granddaughter.
Farrow said Bourbon was the only applicant for the position.