Blandford named principal at Foust Elementary

Mar. 12—After eight months as interim principal at Foust Elementary School, Beth Blandford can finally take the word "interim" out of her title.

The school's Site Based Decision Making Council unanimously approved hiring her as the school's new principal Friday afternoon.

Faculty members waiting for the announcement cheered when Superintendent Matthew Constant announced the decision.

"I could not be happier," he said. "I've worked beside her for the past 12 years."

Janie Moseley, the previous principal, left last year to become the Owensboro Public Schools' director of multi-tiered systems of support at the district central office.

Blandford had been assistant principal for three years.

Before that, she was a kindergarten teacher and a reading intervention specialist at the school.

She began her career with OPS as a preschool teacher at Hager Preschool.

Blandford has been in education for 21 years, 16 of them at Foust.

She has a bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary early childhood education from the University of Kentucky, a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Brescia University and a Rank I in administration from Western Kentucky University.

Friday, Blandford thanked the faculty for their help during a tough year with COVID-19 and said she had "tough shoes to fill."

"I'm privileged to have this opportunity," she said.

Blandford ended her remarks, saying, "Let's do this!" to more cheers.

Later, Blandford said that she decided on a career in education because "my passion has always been children."

When she was named interim principal, Constant said, "Beth was the natural choice for serving as interim because she has been working directly with Ms. Moseley for several years; the students know her and she is familiar with the day-to-day operations of the building. This will be a seamless transition while the site-based council conducts a full principal search in the coming months."

Friday, he said the school received a number of competent applications for the post.

But Constant said that Blandford "is the leader we want for the future."

The Foust site-based council includes three staff members, two parent members and Constant.

Keith Lawrence, 270-691-7301, klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com