Knob Noster Superintendent, Dr. Margaret Anderson has announced her retirement in the spring of 2011. (File Photo)

KNOB NOSTER, Mo.— After leading the Knob Noster school system for seven years, Superintendent Dr. Margaret Anderson has announced that after working in education for 32 years, she will be retiring in the spring of 2011.

Anderson said retiring was a tough decision for her to make, because of her love for the job.
“I love my job,” Anderson said. “Every day I get up, it’s energy and enthusiasm. Every day is different.

"For example, today when we have all this cold, you want to make sure all your buses are running and everything is good for kids, all the buildings are warm, and it’s a good, safe place for kids to come and learn, she said. "It’s the last week, right before Christmas, so a lot of excitement and Christmas programs. It’s a great job, so I love it.

“However, I do have over 30 years’ experience in education, and so it seemed like I needed to be thinking about other opportunities.” Prior coming to Knob, she worked in the Stret, Excelsior Springs and the North Kansas City school districts.

Head of the Knob Noster Board of Directors Jesse Sahlfeld said Anderson will be missed.
“She has been a very positive influence in the school district, and she did a lot of good things,” Sahlfeld said. “She’s a great leader, so she will be deeply missed.”

One of Anderson’s accomplishments during her tenure at Knob Noster was recognition as one of the top technology-savvy superintendents of the nation in 2009. Of the advances in technology, one was getting the one-to-one laptop program in the high school, which provides a computer for every student. Another has been enabling the high school to broadcast its events.

Anderson has also been able to help the school district financially. Sahlfeld said the district hasn’t been hit hard by the economy.

“Some school districts in the area have had to lay people off, and we haven’t experienced that yet,” Sahlfeld said. “We have been able to give raises for this current school year.”

Academics have also been a strong suit for Anderson. While she has been at Knob Noster, the district received Accredited for Distinction designations each year. All student groups hit proficiency performance targets for No Child Left Behind in all categories except literacy and problem solving this year.

The renovations of the football field and the baseball and softball fields were also part of Anderson’s accomplishments over the past few years.

Anderson has also been active on a state and national level for education. She has lobbied in Washington, D.C., for local education funding, and has been working with state legislators. From 2008-2009, she served on the Commissioners Advisory Board, and served as the president of local superintendents’ organization last year.

During her tenure, Anderson has also been involved in the Knob Noster community with service groups, such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Optimists and Whiteman Base Community Council.

Anderson said there has been a good reaction towards her retiring since her announcement.

“Everybody has been very kind,” Anderson said. “They tell me that I am going to be missed, and that they hate to see me go. But, they’re excited for whatever I go to next, and to tell you the truth, I don’t have any plans, yet,” she said with a laugh. “I have nothing. It’s a little bit scary.”

What she will miss most about her job?

“Mostly, I am going to miss the people, the students, the school, I mean it’s mostly the people. It’s the people that make the school district. And that is certainly what I am going to miss.”

What will she miss the least about her job?

“A morning like this morning. The weather. The weather. Just trying to make those decisions like this morning because it was so cold, and days when it is snowing, trying to decide if you want to call it off and have a snow day you have to make up, or... What is the safest thing to do? So, the weather is what I am going to miss the least.”

Sahlfeld said the board will meet Tuesday to have a work session to discuss what the school will do following Anderson’s retirement.