The Van-Far R-I Board of Education renewed the contract of district superintendent John Fortney for one year at their January board meeting. Fortney is in his second year with the district, signing on with them in the 2020-21 school year. 

Having previously served as high school principal at Monroe City, and as assistant principal at Owensville, Fortney is optimistic about the state of Van-Far and he’s looking forward to its future.

“We want to continue to grow the district as a leader in educational excellence,” Fortney said in an interview after the meeting, adding that the goal is to “create a destination district for staff and families.”  

Fortney earned a B.A. in anthropology (archaeology) from Hamilton College and his teaching certificate from University of Missouri- St. Louis (UMSL). He also holds an M.S. in exercise science (sports psych) from California University of Pennsylvani and an EdSP in education leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri- Columbia. 

Collectively, Van-Far is looking to innovate and to be responsive to the community, while preparing students for successful and productive lives after leaving Van-Far’s halls.

“We are extremely committed to our new strategic plan with great focus on addressing student needs, both academically and emotionally,” he said. 

Likewise, for staff.

“We continue to support great teachers and have continued to work in bringing the best talent we can find to our classrooms.”

And he points to the commencement of campus improvements - namely in the athletic department as a new softball field is underway as is a new track.

“The beginning of our athletic complex will be a great source of opportunity for our students and community,” he said.

Elsewhere, there’s been plenty going on in recent years at Van-Far, including significant investment in brick-and-mortar components of the campus, including a new elementary parking lot, high school locker room and restroom renovations.

And Fortney is quick to point to the academic achievements of the district too, including  Academic success with two students  - Ennis Childs and Cameron Jones - scoring a perfect 36 on the American College Test (ACT).  

“We’ve had great accomplishments in speech and quiz bowl teams,” said Fortney. “And our FFA has had success in the meats evaluation team with the top individual score in the nation.” 

Van-Far has also created the position of success coach, which supports the emotional health of students - something near and dear to Fortney’s heart. Complementing that, they’ve partnered with Noble Health to provide additional mental health support for high school students.

“We have accomplished a ton in a short period,” Fortney said. “And we’re only getting started.”

Fortney’s new contract  will expire June 30, 2023. His new salary will be $98,000, an increase from the current salary of $94,475.

“We have a great community that actively supports the district,” he said, “and I look forward to developing deeper relationships between the district and community. Our #onetribe mentality is focused on the whole village raising the child and that can only be a winning combination.”