NEWS RELEASE- For Immediate Release

March 4, 2022

Willard Public Schools Announces Chief Operations Officer 

Willard Public Schools selects Cathy Shoup to be the Chief Operations Officer effective July 1, 2022.  She will fill the current role held by Dr. Eric Wilken as Assistant Superintendent of Operations.

Dr. Eric Wilken, along with an internal selection committee and support from the Willard Board of Education, selected Cathy Shoup to be the Chief of Operations for the Willard Public School District. The position will continue to encompass the responsibilities of the Assistant Superintendent of Operations but will also include additional support to human resources and finance.

“Cathy Shoup is going to bring a high level of excellence to this role. Her ability to bring the best out of her teammates will only continue to solidify where our district is going and we are very pleased to have her on our district’s leadership team,” supports incoming Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Eric Wilken.

Ms. Shoup is currently serving as the Director of Activities for Willard Schools and joined the district in July 2017. During her time in Willard, Ms. Shoup has thrived as a leader for the district’s activities department and was recently named the Administrator of the Year by the Missouri Association of Rural Education. Before joining Willard, she served as Director of Activities for Rolla Public Schools. 

“I’m excited to continue to impact our Willard students alongside a dedicated staff. Every member of our Willard team plays a crucial role in supporting students in their educational success. I’m proud to lead an operations team that ensures the safety, well-being and opportunity for student learning each day,” Cathy Shoup.

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