Turpin to take over as NN Superintendent for 2020-2021 school year

The North Nodaway R-VI School District announced Christopher Turpin will be the 2020-2021 school year superintendent of schools.

Turpin is currently the K-12 principal of Union Star R-II School District and has been there since August 2009. His other educational job experience includes five years as elementary principal at St. Patrick School in the Kansas City – St. Joseph Diocese, third-grade teacher at Northeast Nodaway R-V School District and graduate assistant at Horace Mann Lab school.

He has also worked as the service-learning implementation manager for the Heartland Foundation from 2006 to 2009, assistant director of residence life and recreation services at Parks College of Saint Louis University and community development coordinator at Saint Louis University.

One of his accomplishments at Union Star was helping the school district to be recognized by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as an Exemplary Professional Learning Community in 2014, 2015 and 2018. He stated DESE annually recognizes 14 school districts statewide with this achievement.

Turpin has two bachelor of science degrees, one in government and public administration and one in elementary education from Northwest Missouri State University. He also has a master of education in education administration from Northwest. He just completed his education specialist administration degree at William Woods University in Fulton.

Turpin and his wife, Renee, have been members of the Conception Jct. community since 1997. Renee is currently the principal of the Craig School District. The couple has three children, Elizabeth, a sophomore at Trinity College in Hartford, CT; Stephanie, a sophomore, and Christina, an eighth grader, both at Jefferson C-123.

“I am excited to witness the possible potential that I know lies within the district,” Turpin said. “I have heard amazing things about the students, staff and patrons of the district. I look forward to building a collaborative culture with the current administration and staff to do what is right for kids.

“I hope to use my knowledge and skills to further the progress of the district and take it to the next level,” he continued. “North Nodaway has a track record of providing a great education while being family oriented and I look forward to becoming a part of this great community.”

“Speaking on behalf of the North Nodaway Board, we are looking forward to having Mr. Turpin take over as superintendent next year,” NN Board of Education President Jerime Bix said. “We are excited to have new and fresh ideas on ways to improve and grow our school district. We want people to see North Nodaway as a great community for a prominent education and a lasting experience.

“The board felt that some of Mr. Turpin’s strengths are his knowledge of our community and his ability to manage finances. This will be important in the near future due to new income from wind turbines. We see Mr. Turpin as someone who will handle this new income responsibly. We are sorry to see Mr. Simmilink go; he has done an excellent job for our community and school district. We are confident that Mr. Turpin will be able to continue to put our school on the correct path.”