Hays Post
The USD 388 Board of Education Wednesday announced the selection of Corey Burton, as the new superintendent.
Burton will take the reins on July 1 after the retirement of Robert Young at the end of the 2018-19 school year.
Burton is currently serving as the Ellis JH/SH principal and has done so for 13 years.
Previously, Burton served as principal at Hillsboro Middle School and as district curriculum coordinator for USD 410 for three years and, prior to that position, he also served in Hillsboro High School as a business/computer teacher for from 1994-2003.
Q & A
Why did you want to be superintendent at Ellis?
My family and I truly enjoy living in the Ellis community and being a part of the Ellis school system. I knew that one day I wanted to be a school superintendent, and I am very happy that I will get that opportunity while staying in the community we love.
Are there any goals you have as the new superintendent?
I believe that we have a great teaching staff and excellent school system. My hope is to continue this tradition by working with staff, students, parents and the community to ensure we continue to meet our students’ needs.
What do you think the Ellis school district is doing well right now?
Providing our students (PK-12) a high quality caring learning environment.
What do you see as some of the challenges the district is facing and how would you address those challenges?
As with any western Kansas school district, I see maintaining a quality staff as a challenge. We will need to work together to ensure our staff has competitive wages and a positive work environment. We will need to be proactive in recruiting high quality staff members.
What are some of things you will take from working at the Jr./Sr. high into working in the superintendent position?
Serving in the role of Jr./Sr. high school principal for 13 years, I feel I have a pretty good understanding on how our district runs and functions. I think this will make my transition into my new role much easier.
Do you think you have good relations with teachers, how would you improve those relationships?
I do feel that I already have a good working relationship with most of the staff. I look forward to visiting with each of them to learn more about what I can do in my new role to help them in their position.
You seem to have a very positive relationship with community members, how have you built that and how do intend to maintain that?
I believe that the community knows that I care about kids and that I am committed to my job. I don’t see this changing as I move into my new role.