At 6 feet, 7 inches tall, the incoming superintendent of the Jefferson City Public Schools tends to stand out in any crowd.
Larry Linthacum currently serves as superintendent of the Maryville R-2 School District, but was hired by the Jefferson City Board of Education in December. He will replace outgoing Superintendent Brian Mitchell, starting July 1.
"He (Linthacum) really commands a presence," Maryville board member Rob Sparks noted. "He has a strong voice, and people listen. He's done a good job of getting involved in the community. He's not the kind of leader who sits behind his desk. He likes to get out and visit with our district's patrons, which is something I view as a positive. People need to see him."
Sparks said the community recently had to cope with some tough challenges.
According to the Maryville Daily Forum, the district has seen decreasing personal property tax revenues from the Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing corporation. Combined with the closing of the Energizer plant and Carbolytic Materials Company, the district has lost approximately $800,000 in funding over the past five years, which will be reflected in the 2015-16 budget.
Sparks said Linthacum did a good job of handling the resulting cuts through attrition and combining positions, without impacting students or letting staff go.
Also, instead of contracting for fuel in July - when costs are high - he said Linthacum was able to "dig deeper" to find a better price.
"He took a non-traditional approach to fuel purchases. He studied it," Sparks explained.
Both Sparks and Maryville Board of Education President Roger Baker said Linthacum is known for the passion and energy he brings to the job.
"He's extremely passionate ... about his fellow administrators, the kids and the teachers," Sparks said.
Baker - who helped hire Linthacum four years ago - characterized Linthacum as "a very strong leader ... a man of principle and a man of faith."
"He's not afraid to tackle a problem or do the right thing," Baker said.
He appears to work closely with his staff, often engaging in good-humored banter.
Middle School Principal Kevin Pitts said Linthacum "empowers us to make a lot of decisions as building administrators."
"He's open to new ideas. He takes things seriously and allows us to do what we need to do to run our buildings," Pitts said.
Focused on three goals
Linthacum said one of his top goals when he arrives in Jefferson City is to have a "90-day plan" to assess the lay of the land, figure out JCPS's strengths and weaknesses, and see where opportunities for growth lie.
His three areas of focus include:
• Building relationships with the people in Jefferson City;
• Having high expectations for all students;
• Being involved in the life of the community.
"I'd like to be proactive. I'm going to be available and in the buildings. I truly want to get the temperature and determine what the priorities are," Linthacum said.
He emphasized the need to be visible in the community and the schools, forge relationships, and hold honest conversations with staff and community members. Linthacum said he wants to ask people what Jay Pride means to them, and ask patrons to partner with the schools to provide the best education for students.
"Communication is such an important key for the success of any organization," he said.
When examining the efficacy of a project, initiative or program, he tends to evaluate it with a three-pronged approach.
"What is it you want from the program? How do you assess if it is working? And what do you do if it isn't meeting expectations?" Linthacum said.
He keeps a plaque of a line graph in his office. On the chart a "1" means the project or program stinks, and a "10" means it's awesome. Most tend to lie in the "5" to "8" range - the status quo. He said he's always trying to move beyond the ordinary.
"The goal is to really improve. What are we doing to get better?" Linthacum asked rhetorically.
The Maryville R-2 district recently received kudos from Gov. Jay Nixon.
Last week, Nixon traveled there to applaud the district's strong record for keeping students in school, and to draw attention to the fact Missouri is a national leader in graduation rate improvement.
Graduation rates
Maryville's high school graduation rate has increased from 94 to 95 percent since 2011. Nixon also applauded the district for performing well on the state's annual performance evaluation. The district scored a 95.7 percent on the 2014 Missouri School Improvement Program.
Jefferson City's rating in 2014 was 77.9 percent.
Maryville Daily Forum Reporter Tony Brown said the high school on the state evaluation is Linthacum's signature accomplishment.
"He's been perceived locally as a very effective superintendent," Brown said. "And he's got a sharp pencil. The district appears to be in sound fiscal health."
A former athlete - he was a tight end at the University of Missouri between 1986-90 - Linthacum is still inspired by Vince Lombardi, who was known for encouraging his players to seek excellence.
He said former Bethany Superintendent Dick Smith taught him the importance of working closely with the community.
Other influences on his leadership style, he said, include Abraham Lincoln and James Collins, who penned the best-selling management book "Good to Great."
Asked about how he feels about technology, Linthacum offered a nuanced response.
He noted Maryville doesn't have the traditional 24/7 access of 1:1 (one computer for every student), but it does provide access to 1:1 technology every hour throughout the school day for the teachers to use in their classrooms.
"I've not seen the proven research over time that shows student learning increases when they have access to a computer device 24/7," he said, adding the education system needs to use technology to connect with kids in the classroom and at home. "We need to ensure we are engaging with kids and challenging them to think versus just allowing them to be on their computer all day."
He said the district is trending that direction.
"I want to make sure we're doing it for the right reasons," he explained. "We need to do it because it's improving student learning, not because everyone else is doing it."
He added: "Technology is important, and it is continuing to evolve. We'd better embrace it because it is here to stay."
However, he noted it's equally important to not only purchase devices, but also train teachers to use them effectively.
During his tenure in Maryville, a $10.25 million bond was approved by voters. The money raised will build a new performing arts center and allow for other facility improvements.
The building process has been complicated by bids that came in higher than first anticipated, said Maryville Daily Forum Publisher Phil Cobb.
"They are in the process of letting the bids out again," Cobb said Tuesday.
Starting amid crisis
Several people who know Linthacum said a difficult situation arose early in his career at Maryville, and he handled it well.
"He arrived in the district at an unfortunate time, when one particularly unfortunate incident took place," Cobb said.
Cobb was referencing a 2012 incident that gained international attention when allegations arose in the community that a 14-year-old girl had been raped by an older boy, a senior and athlete from a political family. No sexual assault charges were filed by the special Jackson County prosecutor, who cited insufficient evidence to move forward. However, the alleged perpetrator did plead guilty to endangering the welfare of a child.
Several students - including some of the school's football athletes - attended the party.
In the end, two junior boys were suspended from all extracurricular events - including football - for a full year.
"He (Linthacum) was under pressure to make decisions in a certain way, and he stood up in the face of that pressure and made what I believe was the right decision," Cobb said. "A lot of people respected him for that."
"He's a man of faith, and he used it to guide him in his daily decisions. It's served him well," Cobb continued.
Baker and Cobb indicated the national media sensationalized the story and got several points wrong. Both men said students on both sides of the controversy made mistakes.
Baker said in such a small town - fewer than 12,000 people live in Maryville - most people are friends or acquaintances. The choice to suspend the boys from extracurricular activities their senior year was painful, he said.
"But all of the kids involved violated the school's code of eligibility," Baker said. "We learned we have one of the strongest codes in the state."
Although Cobb said Linthacum faced intense criticism from some quarters, Baker noted, by and large, Maryville school patrons supported school leaders' decisions.
"He drew a line in the sand, and he was willing to do that. It could have been easier to back down," Baker said. "But we had to draw a line in the sand to say this is not how we want students to behave. Most of the patrons supported the decision. There wasn't an outcry."
At the Hy-Vee diner in Maryville, older folks gather to while away their mornings with chat over coffee. Helen Gorsuch, a former teacher, said she did not know Linthacum personally, but believes he was well-liked.
When he spoke to a gathering of retired teachers, he complimented the Maryville district and its faculty, she said.
"When I was at Maryville High School, I would put us up against any of the other schools in the area. He's made some wise choices. He wasn't here long enough," she said. "I hated to see him go. I thought things were running smoothly out there.
"He did a lot of good."
Related video:
Larry Linthacum Interview - Incoming Superintendent for JCPS