By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
Gennifer Booth will return to Junction High School as the new principal. Her hiring was contained in the personnel report approved by the Geary USD 475 Board of Education on Thursday.
Booth is a 1998 graduate of Junction City High School and later served as a library media specialist and coach for JCHS. In recent years, she has served as an administrator in the district including one year at the Freshman Success Academy, two years at City Middle School and this past year as the principal at Washington Elementary School.
Booth said she was excited when the position opened and went through the process. "Just super thankful that the board, our superintendent, our associate superintendent, just have the confidence and the support behind all of them to move and transition into this wonderful and great position at the high school."
There were some difficult times at JCHS this past year school year. Booth explained the approach to address the situation is about collaborating with the team. "Really talking to the teachers, getting to know staff, students, it's all about just learning everybody there, getting the role, relationship building and just working toward our strategic goals." Booth added those are academic and social-emotional, "and really getting parent engagement."
Booth stated she bleeds blue. "I love this community, they have been supportive, they've encouraged, they just lifted me up through everything. This district has been my number one home. She attended Morris Hill and Eisenhower Elementary Schools and later City Middle School and Junction City High School as a student. "And I am just so excited to continue to be a part of the success and tradition that we look forward to at Junction City High School."
There was a change in the high school principal's position this past March when former principal Merrier Tartt was reassigned to another post within the district, and James Neff was named the Acting Principal.
Later in May the Board of Education voted not to renew Tartt's administrative employment contract for the 2022-2023 school year.