West Newsmagazine 10-17-18

6 I OPINION I
October 17, 2018
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
EDITORIAL
Emphasis on ‘Super’
“He is, like, the coolest guy in the world.”
“He’s just very approachable, very real.”
These are some of the phrases the editorial
staff at West Newsmagazine used when
discussing Rockwood Superintendent Dr.
Eric Knost’s surprise retirement announcement
last Thursday.
Knost, who has led the district since
2014, will retire at the end of the current
school year.
In September 2014, West Newsmagazine
reporter Bonnie Krueger wrote a
story about Dr. Knost’s first month on the
job. She noted that in that single month,
Knost had visited every classroom in 10
of Rockwood’s 31 schools. His energy was
instantly infectious, as was his commitment
to excellence.
Dr. Knost was unafraid to challenge students
and set lofty goals for the district.
“Kids who thrive in the real world are
more likely to fall in love with their lives
and, in turn, will be successful. The kids
who don’t find that same passion for life,
generally struggle,” Knost said in the article.
When looking at Dr. Knost’s tenure, it
is important to remember how tumultuous
the years were that preceded it. Bruce
Borchers held the job three years before Dr.
Knost; his reign was controversial at best.
Borchers failed to get two separate bond
issues passed and was embroiled in controversy
regarding his management style
and financial and hiring practices. When
Borchers resigned, Terry Adams took the
job on a one-year, interim basis.
Adams was the 2011 Missouri Superintendent
of the Year and was seen as a
“fixer,” someone who could come in and
calm the choppy waters that district officials
and educators found themselves
swimming in after three years of derision.
That three-year span was a low-point
for the highly regarded Rockwood district,
arguably the lowest point since its
inception. But Adams was likable and,
more importantly, he did exactly what he
was hired to do – he changed the focus of
Rockwood stakeholders and got everyone
talking about kids and quality education
once more. Still, Adams never intended
to stay with the district. Long-term, it
needed someone who could heal it. Enter
Dr. Knost with his easy, likable and everapproachable
demeanor. Right from the
start, kids liked him, parents liked him,
even taxpayers liked him.
The fact that one of his first acts was to
visit with students was telling of the manner
in which his tenure would continue.
In a Random Thoughts interview with
West Newsmagazine in April, Dr. Knost
said, “As a kid, I thought it would be the
coolest thing to be an adult; as an adult, I
don’t see anything cooler than our youth.”
His years as an educator bear truth to
those words.
A native Missourian, Dr. Knost has more
than 30 years of experience in public education.
Prior to serving as Rockwood’s
superintendent, he served as an assistant
principal in the Parkway School District
and shared his love of music with Rockwood
students while serving as an administrative
intern and band director in the
district.
Rockwood School District covers more
than 150 square miles and serves some
21,000 students. As its superintendent, Dr.
Knost has covered all those miles and met
more than his fair share of those students
personally. Beyond just meeting the students,
his policies around character education,
STEM education and his dedication
to educating the whole student will impact
those students for a lifetime.
Last April, Dr. Knost described his journey
in education this way: “Opportunities
would come my way ... and before long I
was interning as an administrator, followed
by being an assistant principal, followed
by a principal, followed by a central office
person, then a deputy superintendent and
then a superintendent.”
Now, he said “new endeavors” have led
him to the “inevitable idea of retiring from
this chapter in my life.” He said the decision
was not easy and he ended his retirement
statement by saying:
“Please help me smile about this as we
continue our work to complete this school
year together. The field of education is, and
always will be, deeply seated in my heart
and soul. Encouragement and hugs will be
gladly accepted in the months to come, as I
am sure I’ll need both.”
Dr. Knost, all those hugs you will be
receiving are well earned.
IN QUOTES
“Fear is not a proper
motivator. Hope wins
out … [how do] you
want [your kids] to
think about life and
their opportunities, do
you want them afraid
of their neighbors?”
– Michelle Obama, rebuking
Hillary Clinton and Eric Holder
“One of the challenges
now confronting a
modern democracy is
too much information,
along with the attendant
problem of separating
fact from opinion.
– Dr. Alden Craddock, Maryville
University political scientist
FOLLOW US ON
On Thursday, Oct. 11, Rockwood Superintendent Dr. Eric Knost [seen here with
students from Geggie Elementary] announced his intent to retire at the end of
the school year.
[Rockwood School District photo]
Over 100 scarecrows, including the Blevins Elementary bobcat, have invaded Eureka.
Guests are invited to download a map at eurekascarecrowfestival.com and see if they
can find them all.
[Eureka Scarecrow Festival photo]