Steve Gilbreth named Joplin High School principal

Veteran educator Steve Gilbreth will get a chance to return ot what he loves best- working with students and teachers.

Gilbreth, who has been assistant superintendent of learning services for the past two years, will be Joplin High School principal for the 2019-2020 school year.

Gilbreth replaces Shane Hopper, who resigned effective June 30.

Gilbreth is no stranger to the building administrator role. Before moving into upper administration, Gilbreth served as principal at South (formerly Memorial Middle School) for 12 years.

The announcement of Gilbreth's position came in the same building, the Memorial Education Building, where he met his greatest challenge as an administrator and played a key role in keeping Joplin from being another school district on the list of those that have had school shootings.








On October 9, 2006, a 13-year-old student brought an assault rifle into Memorial Middle School, shot one round at the ceiling and then pointed the gun directly at Gilbreth, who had stepped into the shooter's path in an effort to stop him and save the students, teachers, and staff in the building.

The teen's gun jammed, according to law enforcement officials and he was subdued.

Since that time, Gilbreth oversaw the move from Memorial to the new South Middle School, and became one of the few principals who were there at the beginning to survive the C. J. Huff/Angie Besendorfer administration.








Gilbreth began his career teaching technology, reading, and communication arts at North Middle School for five years. He was assistant principal at North for three years before becoming principal at Memorial.

Gilbreth received his bachelor’s degree from Missouri Southern State University in English Education, his master’s and specialist degrees in Administration from Pittsburg State University and his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Saint Louis University.