Pam Hedgpeth, former Republic and SBU leader, receives statewide honor

An educator with deep ties in the Ozarks and more than four decades of experience will be among those honored this month as one of Missouri's Pioneers in Education.

Pam Hedgpeth, Clever, has been superintendent in Republic, a professor at Southwest Baptist University, and the executive director of the Greater Ozarks Cooperating School Districts , widely known as GOCSD.

She has also worked on school reform at the state and national level.

Hedgpeth started her career as a fifth grade teacher in Cassville and then moved to Republic, where she moved up the ranks to the top job.

In Republic, she established the Southwest Regional Curriculum Group, which helped area districts understand what students are expected to know and be able to do at each grade level and then use that to develop and align the curriculum.

She worked closely with teams of teachers to create model curriculum and a professional learning program in Republic, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or DESE.

Hedgpeth served on state committees related to curriculum, state testing and Missouri School Improvement Program advising.

In her current role leading GOCSD , she works on initiatives to support more than 100 districts in southwest Missouri. She also facilitates the Success-Ready Students Network, which is exploring innovative ways to measure student learning and progress.

Hedgpeth is one of six Pioneers in Education who will be recognized July 29 for their contributions to public education in Missouri.

They will be spotlighted during a luncheon at the 63rd annual Cooperative Conference for School Administrators that typically draws more than 600 school leaders.

Of the six, Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger said: “These individuals have been true champions for education in Missouri throughout their careers, advocating for students and embodying our department’s mission to provide access to opportunities."

The other education pioneers include:

• Jeanette Cowherd, Kansas City, who spent 23 years as a band director and 19 as a school administrator. She worked in the North Kansas City district and Park Hill;
• Mike Jones, St. Louis, served on the Missouri Board of Education from 2011 to 2020. In 2021, he joined the Normandy Join Executive Governing Board. He previously served on the St. Louis Board of Alderman, was executive director of the St. Louis Housing Authority, among other roles;
• Richard Presberry, Jefferson City, worked in DESE's Vocational Rehabilitation section in St. Louis and Jefferson City before becoming director of Allied Services, where he oversaw creation of the Independent Living and Personal Assistance Services programs. He taught and managed projects at University of Missouri-Columbia and volunteered with his alma mater, Lincoln University;
• Bill Rebore, St. Charles, was a leader in the Valley Park and Francis Howell districts before moving to higher education. His career at Saint Louis University ranged from professor to Dean of the College of Education and Public Service. He is a professor emeritus there;
• Gary Romine, Farmington, worked in the Branson and Farmington districts before starting a business. Elected to the Missouri Senate, he served as chairman of the Joint Committee on Education and chairman of the Senate Committee on Education. He authored bills on career and technical education, virtual schools and an amendment to fully fund the Foundation Formula for the first time in 2017.

State education officials have presented the Pioneer in Education awards for 49 years, which honor teachers, school administrators, citizens, and lawmakers for their distinguished careers and contributions to public education in Missouri.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Pam Hedgpeth, former Republic and SBU leader, receives statewide honor