Park Hill introduces new principals and chief operations officer; board secretary to retire

The Park Hill Board of Education on Feb. 13 introduced several new administrative hires and recognized the upcoming retirement of longtime board secretary Opal Hibbs.

Doctor Kimbrell introduced the new hires and provided background on each. Amber Koehler was announced as the new principal at Line Creek Elementary; Kimbrell said Koehler previously served as assistant principal at Congress Middle School and has worked in Park Hill since 2009, beginning as an elementary teacher at Southeast. John Sorens, joining from Liberty, accepted the assistant principal position at Prairie Point; Kimbrell said Sorens served as a math teacher, intramural coordinator and administrative intern at Heritage Middle School in Liberty and previously taught in Kearney School District. Sarah Shandy was introduced as the new assistant principal at Chin Elementary; Kimbrell said weather prevented her attendance at the meeting.

Doctor Kimbrell also introduced the district's new chief operations officer, Dr. Marcus Scribe, and noted his prior role as director of assessment since 2021, his earlier Park Hill roles beginning in 2015 and his doctoral degree. Kimbrell and the board thanked Opal Hibbs for her service as board secretary and noted Feb. 13 was her last board meeting before retirement.

The board offered congratulations to the new administrators and thanked the retiring board secretary. These personnel items were presented as part of the meeting's personnel report; no separate personnel vote or contract details were recorded in the public portion of the transcript.