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Board of Education Approves Hire of Dr. John Koeneker as Westridge Principal

Board of Education Approves Hire of Dr. John Koeneker as Westridge Principal

The Rockwood Board of Education has approved the hiring of Dr. John Koeneker as the next principal at Westridge Elementary, beginning July 1. He replaces Dr. Dan Gieseler, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

Currently, Koeneker is the principal at Walker Elementary in the Hazelwood School District, a position he has held since 2013. Prior to that, he was an assistant principal for two years in the Hillsboro School District, an instructional specialist for two years in Hazelwood, taught math at St. Louis Community College for four years and was an elementary and middle school math teacher for five years in Hazelwood. Under Koeneker’s leadership, Walker has been recognized as a Pearson Insight School for its work with assessment literacy and has received the Best of Florissant Award multiple years in a row.

Koeneker earned dual bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and secondary education in social sciences from Southwest Missouri State University. He earned a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Maryville University. Koeneker completed the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education MoLEAD program and is a current member of the Missouri Leadership Development System.

“I am so honored to be selected as the next leader of Westridge Elementary,” said Koeneker. “I am very excited about joining the Rockwood team and most especially the Westridge Elementary family!”

Koeneker lives with his wife, Caroline, and their two children, Lucie and David, in Kirkwood.

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