At the Rockwood School District Board meeting on May 6, the board announced that Dr. Timothy Ricker is the new interim superintendent.

Dr. Ricker has worked in education for 45 years. He currently serves as the state supervisor of instruction for the St. Louis metropolitan region and the southeast region at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

He has worked with DESE since 2012, after serving as superintendent of the Lemont Bromberek Central School District in Illinois from 2006 to 2011 and superintendent of the Mehlville School District from 2003 to 2006. He also has experience as the south area superintendent for Mehlville, and the deputy superintendent and associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Francis Howell School District.

Dr. Ricker got his bachelor’s degree from Northeast Missouri State University, a master’s at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, an educational specialist degree from Central Missouri State University, and earned his doctorate degree from Southern Illinois University.

“Dr. Ricker will be a tremendous asset to Rockwood during this transitional year. He has a wealth of experience, has ties to our community, and he is highly regarded as a strong educational leader,” Jaime Bayes, President of the board, read off in the meeting, “He is dedicated to student success and believes that student potential is unlimited and that learning is a life-long endeavor. We are extremely fortunate to have someone with his experience and knowledge of the Rockwood community during this critical transitional year.”

Dr. Ricker will assume his position on July 1, 2021. He will serve as a temporary superintendent as the Rockwood School board completes a more formal hiring process within a longer time frame.

This is a developing story.