Northwest High School Principal Brad Snell will retire at the end of this school year, after 29 years with the district.
Snell, 51, of Cedar Hill said he believes it is time for him to turn over the reins to someone new since he has reached the rule of 80, which means between his age and years of working in public education, he is eligible to retire with full benefits.
“It’s one of those things where once you’re in somewhere for a long time, maybe this building needs to change, maybe it needs some new leadership,” he said. “I think it’s a good time. I’m ready. I look forward to what the next leadership will bring to the high school.”
The COVID-19 pandemic did not play a part in Snell’s decision to retire, he said.
“I just think with where we’ve come in the district and where the district can go, I’m sure there will be a lot of quality applicants out there who will interview for this position with some different skill sets than I have,” he said. “Hopefully, they can extend on what we’ve already accomplished.”
Snell is paid a $134,397 annual salary, and his position will be posted this month, said Superintendent Desi Kirchhofer, who also is retiring at the end of the year.
Both Snell’s and Kirchhofer’s last day will be June 30.
Kirchhofer said candidates for the principal job will be screened and interviewed in December, and a new principal will be selected and announced in January or February.
Kirchhofer said Snell will be missed.
“He has been an iconic leader at Northwest during his career,” Kirchhofer said. “Brad has been the leader of NHS for 15 years and has accomplished a great deal for the school and the district. He leads a high-achieving high school. Under his leadership, many programs and student opportunities have grown.”
Kirchhofer also credited Snell for implementing the Leader in Me program at the high school. The program emphasizes leadership and life skills, according to the district’s website.
Snell said he has been the Northwest High principal for 15 years. He previously worked for nine years as a physical education teacher, and then he spent one year as an intern administrator and four as an assistant principal.
He also has coached football, wrestling and golf at the high school.
Strong family ties
Snell said he graduated from Northwest High School in 1988 and followed in his parents’ footsteps, who both worked for the Northwest R-1 School District.
His dad, Jim Snell, was a head football coach for more than 20 years and his mom, Carolyn Snell, was a teacher at High Ridge Elementary for 30-plus years.
Snell is one of a set of triplets, along with his two sisters, who also are teachers in the Northwest district.
His sister, Kristi Lee, is a physical education teacher at Northwest High, and his sister, Kerri Shelton, is a teacher at House Springs Elementary.
Snell said he got his passion for education from his parents.
“I just was always around schools my whole life,” he said. “I love being around kids and I loved the coaching aspect of it. It kind of drew me into the education field.
His wife, Christine Snell, works in the district as a diagnostician. They have been married for 25 years and have two children – Lacey Snell, who recently graduated from Southeast Missouri State University and Braden Snell, a senior at Northwest High School.
Ironically, neither one of their children is interested in working in education, Snell said.
“I think my side of it will actually stop, but it’s been an amazing run for my family,” he said.
Snell said retirement will allow him to spend more time with family.
“When you’re a high school principal, you’re away from your family a lot,” he said. “I missed a lot of my kids’ experiences because I was doing supervision and meetings in other places. I just look forward to spending more time with my own kids.”