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Schools

New Principals Hired at Two Area Elementary Schools

Both bring classroom and administrative experience to their new roles.

Families at and elementary schools will see some new faces in the halls come August. No, not the fresh-faced and wide-eyed kindergartners. Both schools will have a new principal.

Carrie Luttrell will join the as principal of Shenandoah Valley. She will replace retiring principal, Bruce Hunter.

Christina Garland will serve as principal at Kehrs Mill in the  upon the retirement of current principal Margaret Lucero.

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Both bring classroom and administrative experience to their new roles, but only one has been a principal previously. The women said they are eager to begin their new jobs.

Meet the Shenandoah Valley Elementary Principal, Carrie Luttrell

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Luttrell began her career as a teacher in Chilhowee R-IV School District in Chilhowee, MO.

“I am naturally a people person,” Luttrell said. “I love kids and have always felt most comfortable around them, so teaching was a natural choice.” 

Luttrell said her desire to help improve curriculum in the small district where she taught led her to develop and direct instruction and curriculum plans. She’s served as a curriculum director in the Knob Noster R-VIII and Fort Osage R-I school districts. The districts saw marked improvement in accreditation, student learning and test scores in her time there, she said.

For the past three years, Luttrell has served as the executive director of curriculum, instruction and assessment in the Rockwood School District.

“Coming to Rockwood, a much larger school district, was a challenge,” Luttrell said. “Part of my job was to determine what makes Rockwood the fine district that it is. What makes it work? What’s the secret? The outstanding administration and teachers are a huge part of the advantage that Rockwood students have. That’s the secret,” she said.

Luttrell felt an urge to get back in a school, though.

“It’s been 25 years since I’ve been an elementary school teacher,” she said. “My husband said, ‘You have worked with principals never having been one.’ The opportunity presented itself at Shenandoah Valley. I want to get closer to the kids, teachers and families as they do great work,” Luttrell said. “Parkway is a stellar school district.”

Meet the Kehrs Mill Elementary Principal, Christina Garland

Garland has taught in a number of St. Louis-area school districts, including Pattonville and Francis Howell. She is currently the principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Troy, MO. Lincoln Elementary is a 2011 Missouri School of Character and a finalist for the National School of Character Award.

Like Luttrell, Garland knew early on that teaching was in her future. “I was influenced by those around me. My future husband’s mother was a teacher, and many of my friends were going to become teachers,” Garland said. 

As a teacher, Garland became involved in educational committees. “I saw that through these experiences I could have a greater impact on kids by influencing what teachers were doing in the classroom,” she said. 

Lincoln R-111 is a small school district with a tight budget, but Garland is proud of her students and staff. 

“The character initiative began when I joined Lincoln and has been very successful in our building,” Garland said. “Everything revolves around the school’s character traits: respect, accountability, self-control and being ready to learn. Our behavior plan, even the language used as an educator, supports these character traits.” 

Garland said she’s looking forward to taking the helm at Kehrs Mill Elementary.

“I’m excited to be the new principal at Kehrs Mill. There will be informal meetings with teachers and families to build trusting relationships. We will honor the traditions at Kehrs Mill,” she said. “I know, professionally I’m going to learn so much in a district known as one St. Louis’ best.”

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