Bentonville School District picks new director of secondary education

BENTONVILLE — A Houston-area educator will join the School District this summer as its new executive director of secondary education.

Jennifer Morrow will oversee instruction at the district’s two high schools starting July 1. The School Board approved her hiring at its last meeting.

Morrow earned a bachelor’s degree in 1994 from Oklahoma City University; a master’s degree in educational administration in 1997 from the University of Central Oklahoma; and a doctorate concentrating in educational administration, child development in 2003 from the University of South Carolina, according to her resume.

Morrow has been a principal or assistant principal at the middle and high school levels for about 20 years, serving at schools in Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas, according to her resume.

She has been principal of Robert Turner College and Career High School in the Pearland Independent School District, just south of Houston, since 2012. That school has an enrollment of 1,137 students. Morrow was named the Pearland district’s secondary principal of the year in 2015.

Her beginning salary in Bentonville hasn’t been determined. The range for the position is $91,680 to $129,432, depending on experience and education, according to Leslee Wright, district director of communication.

Morrow replaces Judy Marquess, who retired in December as the district’s executive director of instruction for grades seven through 12.

The job description was narrowed to focus on grades nine through 12. Matt Saferite, who was the district’s professional development coordinator before filling in as interim director of secondary instruction, will become the new executive director of middle-level education, overseeing instruction of grades five through eight, according to Wright.

Tamara Gibson, director of instruction for the elementary and middle schools, will shift to overseeing elementary schools only.

Morrow