EROS —John McCleary, principal of both the Western Grove Elementary School and Ozark Mountain High School has resigned. The Ozark Mountain School District accepted the resignation at its regular monthly meeting held Wednesday, Jan. 22. The meeting was conducted on the Bruno-Pyatt Elementary School campus.
McCleary took on the role of principal for the new combined high school at the start of the 2023-24 school year That fall semester was the first time for students in seventh through 12th grade from Bruno-Pyatt, St. Joe and Western Grove to attend classes together at the Western Grove campus.
The board also accepted the resignations from Ozark Mountain High School art teacher Jennifer Buresh and St. Joe Elementary teacher Karen Stiles.
The board elected to hire Susan Smith to fill the art teacher position.
The board voted to renew the district's contract with Aliza Jones from Academic Facilities School Consulting. Jones helps school districts prepare and carry out long-range master plans for meeting future educational facility needs.
In other matters, the board:
• Accepted student transfer petitions for two students leaving the school district.