MORAN Ken McWhirter, long-time principal and now superintendent of schools for Marmaton Valley-USD 256, is retiring.
McWhirters retirement effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year was accepted at Mondays Board of Education meeting.
McWhirter has been elementary school principal at Marmaton Valley for the past 36 years, and is in his fifth year as the districts chief administrator.
He missed much of the 2018-19 school year because of illness before returning to his post this fall.
I just figured with my kidney health, and with Connies cancers, it was time, McWhirter said of he and his wife.
McWhirter has been a key figure in the development of the Regional Rural Technology Center in LaHarpe, an instructional collaboration between several area school districts and community colleges to provide on such things as construction trades, welding, nursing and now wind farm technology.
A lot of our kids just arent four-year college students, he said, and they need those mechanical and technical skills.
Prior to coming to Marmaton Valley, McWhirter taught for eight years in Larned.
ALSO at Mondays meeting, board members accepted the retirement announcement of Connie Jackman as a cook, and hired Tyler Powelson as an assistant girls basketball coach for Marmaton Valley High School.
