A transplanted Texan will be returning home to his native Mid-Missouri to serve as Jefferson City High School principal this summer.
Robert "Bob" James was named the new JCHS principal on Tuesday and will officially join the district July 1. He will replace Sharon Longan, a long-time employee who took over the job on an interim basis when former principal Jeff Dodson resigned in September. Longan also serves as associate principal of Nichols Career Center.
Currently, James serves as principal of Temple High School, in Temple, Texas, where he is responsible for leading a diverse group of 2,000 students and overseeing seven assistant principals, 160 teachers and more than 100 support staff members.
At the high school, he also implemented "Career Strand Endorsements," a program similar to Jefferson City's Academies. Both programs rely on strong community partnerships and business partnerships to be successful.
Born in Hermann, James, 39, lived in Jefferson City as a youth and is familiar with the community and the school district.
Although he "moved around a bit" as a young person, while he lived in Jefferson City he attended South Elementary School, the seventh-grade center - when it was formerly housed at the Miller Performing Arts Center - and briefly JCHS, James said.
After graduating from Linn High School, he joined the U.S. Army, where he served for five years, part of the time at Fort Hood, Texas, and Camp Nimble, South Korea. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood.
Upon being discharged, he attended Tarleton State University in Texas. There, he focused his studies on math and earned his certification to teach secondary-level math.
After teaching math briefly, he applied to Texas A&M's graduate school so he could pursue the certification needed to become a principal.
He was hired by the Temple Independent School District as a high school assistant principal in 2009. Throughout the next few years, he rose through the school's administrative ranks, working with teachers to improve math scores, helping handle ninth- and tenth-grade discipline issues, and overseeing curriculum and instruction.
He has served as high school principal for three and a half years, he said.
In the next few months, he plans to make monthly trips to Jefferson City in order to gear up for his new job.
"I'm extremely lucky to be between two leadership teams who are open to me getting my feet on the ground," he said.
In an interview Tuesday afternoon, incoming JCPS Superintendent Larry Linthacum said James "brings a track record of success as an instructional leader in a large high school.
"He will be a tremendous asset to the District and a good fit for the high school," he said.
Linthacum called James "well balanced" and said he "showed a passion for kids and a passion for education." He also noted, like himself, James values a collaborative, team approach to working with others.
"He's very intelligent. He recognizes how important relationships are. And he's able to connect and relate to others," Linthacum noted.
It appears James will be missed by colleagues in Texas.
Robin Battershell, Temple superintendent, called James a "very unique person and a very unique high school principal.
"I've interviewed a lot of people and I'll never forget (James') interview," she said.
How so?
"He's very emotional ... in a good way," she explained. "He knows what it feels like to be at-risk, himself, because he's had his own hurdles to overcome in life. He's got real compassion for those students who need a little extra push to make it."
Battershell said, during James' tenure, she noticed changes on the Temple campus.
"There's a real sense of calm ... of well being ... in the school," she noted.
Raised in a family that lacked financial resources, James agreed with Battershell's assessment.
"I have had a unique path to post-secondary education," he said. "My mother was a waitress and a nurses' aide. So, I understand that some students don't have all the support ... that I might give my own kids. I have insight into how students might struggle."
However, he also said he understands the plight of academically-advanced students, who he said can be "voracious" in their need to learn and study.
"I think I have a unique slant on a broad range of students," he said.
When she talked with Linthacum, the incoming JCPS superintendent, Battershell said she was able to reassure him that James made a good first hire.
She said she'll miss working with James, but considers it "an honor for him" to return home.
"We'll miss him," she said. "But I've told him, "If home doesn't pan out, you have a home here.'"
Although Linthacum didn't make the final decision to hire James, he was consulted. Also, he said a committee of about five to seven high school faculty were asked to weigh in.
"I was very pleased with the selection process and the candidate pool. We had excellent participation from a team of high school teachers and administrators, which helped inform the decision-making process," Linthacum said. "I hope the staff felt they had some input with someone who represented their interests."
Ultimately, the decision was a consensus agreement among Superintendent Brian Mitchell, central office leaders and some of the faculty, Linthacum explained.
In a released statement, Mitchell said: "I was very pleased with the process and the involvement of staff. I was also pleased Mr. Linthacum was able to be involved in helping make the decision. We have an outstanding staff and administrative team already assembled. Mr. Linthacum's availability to help fill vacancies on the administrative team, ahead of starting next year, will be very beneficial in his transition."
School Board President Dennis Nickelson, also in a released statement, said he had "heard we had excellent candidates and that the process was very thorough.
"I'm anxious to meet Mr. James and congratulate him personally," Nickelson said. "On behalf of the Board Of Education, we appreciate everyone who participated in the selection process and we look forward to supporting Mr. James and the entire High School Staff. We have a lot of exciting work taking place and it sounds like his experience will certainly add to those efforts and benefit JCHS students."
James said, when students enter his office, he "really reserves judgment." He said he also assumes even teens who aren't performing well at school, really would prefer to be better students.
"You don't know what they are going through," he said. "I try to start from a positive frame."
He also said his leadership style has a duality to it. On one hand, he said he tries to use "intuitive ability" to lead others with a human approach. On the other hand, he tries to hone his "technical ability" by reading books to further his skills professionally.
Part of his decision to return to Mid-Missouri is to rejoin family members - including several siblings - who still live here. He will be bringing with him his wife, Amanda, and their two sons, 15-year-old Christian and 8-year-old Jackson.
James said his older son is interested in playing football for the Jefferson City Jays.
"I am excited to have the opportunity to come home to Jefferson City and lead an exceptional school," he said.
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Editor's note: The above article updates and expands upon earlier coverage: JCHS tabs Mid-Mo. native for new principal.