Second Joplin R-8 finalist is one-time Neosho superintendent

Dr. Gary Quinn, superintendent of the Bartlesville, Oklahoma school district for the past 17 years is the second finalist for the Joplin R-8 superintendent post.

Quinn will be in Joplin all day today, touring district facilities, meeting with staff and then later meeting in closed session with the Board of Education.

The school district released the following biography:

Dr. Gary W. Quinn is an experienced educator and long-time veteran school superintendent.

With over 39 years of full-time work in the field of education, he continues his passion for providing the best possible learning environment for children. Dr. Quinn completed his 17th year of serving as superintendent of schools for the Bartlesville Public School District in Bartlesville, OK. He is tied for the longest serving superintendent in Bartlesville’s history.

Prior to serving as superintendent in Bartlesville, Dr. Quinn was the superintendent for the Neosho R-V School District in Southwest Missouri.

During Dr. Quinn’s 39-year career in education he has served as a teacher, coach, Assistant Professor at colleges, Assistant Dean of Students at a college, an Adjunct Graduate College Instructor,Assistant Principal, Principal, Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent. Dr. Quinn earned his bachelor's of science degree in education and his master's of education degree in secondary education administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. He earned his doctorate of education degree in educational administration from Oklahoma State University.

Dr. Quinn is active in numerous community and professional organizations including Rotary International, the American Association of School Administrators, the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators and the Cooperative Council of School Administrators. Rotary International honored Dr. Quinn as a Paul Harris Fellow. He is a former member of the Bartlesville Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors as well. During Quinn's leadership in Bartlesville, there were numerous successes. One of the most visible is the improved facilities.

During Dr. Quinn's tenure, the community passed five successful bond issues amounting to over $115,000,000. During this time, almost every school site was significantly renovated or expanded. This includes the most recent Freshman Academy addition at Bartlesville High School and the renovation at venerable Central Middle School. He has overseen Bartlesville High School expand into a four-year school site.

During the past seventeen years, the school district developed an increased focus on improving student achievement by improving instruction. The academic plan assisted the district to be an extremely high-performing school district. The district’s A-F grades and the state's previous Academic Performance Index (API) indicate that the school district scores among the top in the state. As a result of this success,

Dr. Quinn has had a book published on improving student achievement and has presented at numerous state and national conferences. During Dr. Quinn’s tenure the district incorporated several initiatives including expanding to full-day kindergarten and Pre-K. In addition, the school district became the only Great Expectations Model District in the nation. He and his wife Julia are the proud parents of three adult sons.