Western superintendent headed back to Lafayette
Apr. 30—RUSSIAVILLE — Western School Corporation is looking for a new superintendent.
Lafayette School Corporation announced Monday that Western Superintendent Katie Reckard had accepted a job with the district.
Reckard was named assistant superintendent of special education, starting July 1.
The move comes a little more than a year after she was named Western superintendent. Prior to taking the administrative position in Russiaville, she was assistant superintendent of secondary curriculum at Lafayette.
Reckard told the Kokomo Tribune on Thursday that Lafayette schools reached out to her about the job.
"I signed on to be here for the long term, but the opportunity is too good to pass up," she said.
Reckard was once a special education teacher and has a master's degree in the field. In her new position, she will oversee all special education programming for the school corporation.
"Working in the special ed realm is near and dear to my heart," Reckard said.
It's also an opportunity to return to a larger school district and place she's comfortable with.
"It was just a draw to go back to a place that I know," she said. "There's a draw to me to a more-urban setting."
Reckard was named superintendent on April 20, 2021, the successor to Randy McCracken who spent nearly three decades with Western and 10 years as its chief administrator.
It was a return home of sorts for Reckard who has lived in Howard County for the last 20 years with her husband and children.
She was once principal at Maple Crest Middle School, worked at Lafayette Park Elementary School and Bon Air Middle School and still has relationships with staff and administrators at Kokomo School Corporation.
In a previous interview, Reckard said she applied for the Western superintendent position because of the corporation's focus on kids.
"Working with the board presidents, that was reaffirmed," she said. "This has been a wonderful experience. I wouldn't trade it for the world."
Reckard spoke highly of her experience with the Western community.
The Western School Board met in executive session Friday to discuss the next steps for the superintendent position. More information will be shared with the public at the board's next meeting May 17.
"We are sad to lose her as our superintendent, but we understand and wish her the absolute best," board president Lynn Hale said in an email.
Reckard will stay on as superintendent until June 30.
Spencer Durham can be reached at 765-454-8598, by email at spencer.durham@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @Durham_KT.
