By Chase Henson
This year, Tarkio R-I School District gained two new principals. Dr. Deborah Taylor is the new elementary principal and Mrs. Carrie Livengood is the new high school principal.
I asked Dr. Taylor a few questions so our community can get to know her a little better. Dr. Taylor was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, and grew up in Osborn, Missouri. She is married and has two sons. Her oldest son is a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army and works in the Pentagon and her youngest son is a sophomore at Missouri Western State University and is a champion in Tae Kwan Do. Dr. Taylor attended Osborn High School and then went on to college at Northwest Missouri State University to obtain her undergraduate degree, then to USM to get her Masters’ Degree. Then she went to Oklahoma State University to get her Doctorate. She went on to teach and live in many different places. She has lived in Northeast Iowa, Florida, California, Bahrain, and Taiwan. Some of the places she has taught were in Oklahoma, Iowa, Bahrain, and Taiwan. I asked her what some of the things she is looking forward to this year and she said she is looking forward to having a great year and meeting more of the community members. A few things Dr. Taylor is enjoying so far is working with an amazing staff that helps to improve the school experience for all students. Something she wants the community and parents to know is that she is working to make a difference in all students. She told me that the school motto is “Today a reader, Tomorrow a leader,” and they are working on leadership and writing and literacy goals for the students.
Our next principal is new to the job, but not to the district. Tarkio High School’s new principal is Mrs. Carrie Livengood. She grew up in Clearmont, Missouri, and attended West Nodaway High School. After high school, she went on to Northwest Missouri State University to receive her undergraduate, then went onto Central Missouri State University. Carrie has been teaching at Tarkio High School for 13 years. She was the math teacher, then became the director of Special Education and is the A+ coordinator. Mrs. Livengood is married to Curt and they have three children: Parker who is 8, Annalee who is 6, and Layla who is 3. Some things she is looking forward to this year are helping the staff grow, making sure students are successful, and learning new things alongside everyone else. Things she is striving for this year are creating a cohesive environment, focusing on student learning and the success of students, and having good teamwork. I asked Mrs. Livengood if she ever thought in her many years of teaching if she believed she was going to be principal of the high school. She told me she has always set high expectations for herself to work for a high leadership role. Mrs. Livengood wants the community and parents to know she has the passion and heart for this position and for the students, that she is committed to making a safe environment for the staff and students, and that she wants to make the school a welcome environment for education and learning.