CCHS unveils new logo, new additions to staff roster

Capital City High School has its logo and a new set of names to add to its staff roster.

Jefferson City Public Schools released news of the additions Tuesday, along with the Twitter account -@CCHSCavs - of the district's second high school.

Capital City High School is scheduled to open in time for its first students to attend in August 2019, though areas of the school including its gyms, auditorium and classrooms beyond an initial number of 40 are not anticipated to be fully constructed until December 2019.

JCPS previously announced Ben Meldrum - currently principal at Simonsen 9th Grade Center - will be Capital City's principal, and Robert Ndessokia will be Capital City's activities director.

Meldrum's position at CCHS was announced again Tuesday, though "(he) has been serving in that capacity and already actively involved with the Capital City High School construction and hiring process. We included him in today's announcement more as a refresher," JCPS Director of Communication Ryan Burns said.

The school district added Tuesday two assistant principals, an associate principal of curriculum and instruction and a counselor director to CCHS's staff roster - all positions that become effective July 1, 2019 - according to a news release.

Jeff Jennewein will be an assistant principal. Jennewein has 17 years of experience in education - the past four as an assistant principal at Simonsen.

He has previously been a physical education teacher and head basketball coach at LaMont and Richland high schools; athletic director, ISS teacher and head basketball coach at Vienna High School; and a health teacher and head basketball coach at West Plains and Desoto high schools.

Mike Shipp will be an assistant principal. Shipp has 26 years of education experience - 11 years with JCPS, including as a science teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, head and assistant baseball coach at Jefferson City High School and an assistant principal at Simonsen for the past five years.

Before JCPS, Shipp was an assistant principal at California High School.

Tim Ritter will be counselor director, and he has 10 years of education experience - nine as a school counselor at Simonsen.

Ritter also spent a year in Columbia as an academic interventionist and assistant basketball coach at Oakland Junior High School and as an assistant baseball coach at Rock Bridge High School.

He will lead the counseling team at CCHS and will work with the administrative team to develop the schedule and support student needs.

Emily Vallandingham will be associate principal of curriculum and instruction.

Vallandingham has spent 10 of her 12 years in education with JCPS - as an English teacher, department chair, University of Missouri Fellows mentor, technology applications teacher, instructional coach and administrative intern.

She is currently listed as an administrative intern at Simonsen.

She also taught English for two years at Parkway Central Middle School.

Vallandingham will work with teachers and the instructional leadership team to continue to improve teaching and learning.

"From my early days of being a classroom teacher, I quickly realized the necessity for leaders to capitalize on relationships and communication," said Gary Verslues, JCPS' director of secondary education, adding "I have no doubt these individuals will bring just the right balance of these things, while also challenging one another to bring the greatest impact of teaching and learning across CCHS."

Meldrum said: "I'm looking forward to working with a team of quality leaders who share a vision for making Capital City High School something that our students, staff and community are proud to be a part of. We will work hard and push each other to make the CCHS experience an outstanding experience for all those involved."

Capital City High School's logo for its mascot - the Cavaliers - was also released Tuesday. JCPS Superintendent Larry Linthacum said in a message posted on the district's website that JCPS has spent the past several months working with Firehouse Design to finalize the logo.

The mascot and the school colors of CCHS - royal blue and silver, with black trim as needed - were announced in March after a public vote capped a committee process that involved district staff members, Thomas Jefferson Middle School students, parents, community members and partners in education.

"As we launch the new CCHS brand, we will have usage guidelines for the proper way to use the logo, and we will ask that any group or person who wants to use the logo work with our district Communications Department (573-659-3018) to obtain permission and high-resolution artwork. In the near future, we will work to tighten all of our district brand standards at every level," Linthacum said.