The De Soto Board of Education has promoted Ron Farrow to take over as the superintendent next school year.
Farrow, the district’s current assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction and assessment, will replace Josh Isaacson, who is retiring at the end of this school year.
Farrow will begin his duties as superintendent on July 1 and will be paid a $155,000 annual salary next school year. He currently earns $117,800 a year as an assistant superintendent, said Isaacson, who is being paid $175,400 this school year.
The school board voted unanimously Dec. 7 to promote Farrow to the top job, under a three-year contract, the district reported.
He was promoted after completing a series of interviews, including one with a panel of students and community and staff members.
“We are excited to move forward as a great district with Mr. Ron Farrow as our new superintendent,” school board president Beverly Wilson said Dec. 8. “On behalf of the school board, I’d like to thank all of the students, parents, community members and staff who participated in our search survey and who served on the interview panel. De Soto is poised to head into the future with strong leadership.”
Wilson said three candidates, including Farrow, applied for the position, and the school board reviewed their applications on Nov. 20.
She said all three applicants were qualified for the position and were invited to interview with the board on Dec. 1 and with the community on Dec. 7. However, the other two applicants withdrew their applications before the interviews.
In October, the district announced that Isaacson, 44, who has been superintendent since 2016, will retire on June 30 to spend more time with his parents and family.
Farrow has been in education for 22 years and has worked as a classroom teacher, instructional technology director and building principal. He has been an assistant superintendent at De Soto since July 2021.
“I’ve been with De Soto since 2017 when I was hired as principal for Athena (Elementary School),” he said. “This is my seventh year with the district. I am excited for this opportunity to continue to work and support the students, staff and community here in De Soto.
“I look forward to working with all stakeholders to build a true school-community partnership to support our district and community to reach its full potential.”
Farrow, 44, of Farmington has a bachelor’s degree in music education; master’s degrees in education and educational administration; and a specialist degree in educational leadership. He was a member of the 31st class for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Leadership Academy, as well as the Missouri Association of School Administrators Aspiring Superintendent Cohort, according to a written statement from the school board.
He was named the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals New Principal of the Year and has served as president of the Missouri ACT council, as well as adviser and consultant for several educational companies, the statement said.
During his time in De Soto, Farrow led the discussion to bring Project Lead the Way to the district, starting Gateway Project Lead the Way courses at the junior high for app creation, robotics, medical detectives and engineering, along with principles of biomedicine for all freshmen and introduction to engineering as an elective option at the high school, the board reported.
Farrow also was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Innovative Learning Center, which provides additional support for students who struggle with academics, behavior and attendance and has shown positive results in increased academic success for students, as well as fewer suspensions, keeping students in school where they can learn best, the board said.
Over the past three years, Farrow has written applications for more than $250,000 in grants for the De Soto School District to support mental health initiatives, behavioral support and inclusive play, the report said.
Farrow currently serves on boards for both the De Soto Rotary Club and Get Healthy De Soto. He and his wife, Brandi, a reading/ELA teacher for the Farmington R-7 School District, have two children, Aiden, 14, and Sophie, 9.