Nevada R-5 school superintendent resigns to accept position in Marshall

On Friday, March 7, the Nevada R-5 Board of Education held a special executive session after receiving the resignation of current Nevada R-5 superintendent Craig Noah.

Noah, who came to Nevada from the Trenton, Mo., school district has been superintendent in Nevada since taking over the district's helm in July 2006, after Dr. Ted Davis, who held the position for 11 years, retired.

The board voted unanimously to accept the resignation, freeing Noah to accept the position of superintendent over the Marshall, Mo. public school district. Noah was offered the new position on March 5 and accepted immediately after the Nevada board meeting on Friday.

Noah said his decision to move was solely a personal choice. "It's about 30 minutes from my hometown and my wife and I's family. So, It's a personal move that gets the kids closer to their grandparents," said Noah.

Marshall is also the home of Noah's alma mater, Missouri Valley College, where he earned a degree in physical education, graduating in 1997.

Noah's resignation becomes effective June 30, 2008. He is slated to begin as Marshall's superintendent on July 1.

Marshall's school district has an average enrollment of approximately 2,500 students with just over 200 certified staff members. This is very similar to Nevada's numbers and enrollment. Noah said, "They have one more student than Nevada has. I'd say almost exactly the same size school district, very similar academic programs, extra curricular programs."

Though Noah was upbeat about this new position, he said the idea of leaving Nevada made it a more difficult choice.

"I just think the district here is outstanding. Our staff and students are wonderful, the community has been great too. You know it's a difficult decision but a great chance for our family to be around our extended family, and I think that sometimes you have to put the personal above the professional. It's a difficult decision but we're real pleased about it."

Noah said the Nevada R-5 board has not set a formal timeline for the search for a new superintendent, but will conduct the search with the help of the Missouri School Boards Association.

The board used a similar procedure in the search for Noah, after Davis announced his plans to retire.