Besendorfer on new job: Now I can create better futures for families

In her introductory blog as the new chancellor of Western Governors University Missouri, former Joplin R-8 Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer talks about what she accomplished in Joplin and what she hopes to accomplish in the future.

This opportunity to serve as your chancellor has represented the closing of a chapter in my life: I’ve left the realm of K-12 education and leapt into higher education leadership. I bring with me many fond memories, and I leave many great friends. I must say that my heart is filled with great memories and the faces of students, families and educators who made my journey richer. 

That said, I am embracing this new chapter in my life leading the WGU Missouri community. I know I will be learning every day, which excites me because I still love learning. I know I will have many new experiences and I’ll make more friends (I’m keeping the old ones too). One thing that won’t change is my quest to use high-quality education to create better life opportunities for people in my home state of Missouri.

Jay Nixon: Angie Besendorfer is wonderful

Jay Nixon is lucky he is not running for anything this year.

Lawsuit claim: Besendorfer lied to get Royal Heights principal fired

Joplin R-8 Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer's lies caused a veteran principal to lose his job.

At least that's the claim made by former Royal Heights Principal Larry Masters in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Jasper County Circuit Court.

Masters is one of many Joplin R-8 principals who have lost their jobs since the C. J. Huff-Angie Besendorfer regime took over the Joplin Schools. While the two top officials have stayed the same (until Ms. Besendorfer's resignation to become Western Governors University chancellor takes effect at the end of this month) and six of the seven Board of Education members have remained the same since C. J. Huff became superintendent in 2008 and allowed Ms. Besendorfer to handle the principals and teachers, only three principals remain and as noted earlier on the Turner Report, hundreds of teachers have either left or been shown the door, including more than 200 in the past two years.

According to the lawsuit, Masters, who had been Royal Heights principal since 2004, had already been offered a contract for the 2010-2011 school year when Ms. Besendorfer stepped in.

"Defendant intentionally interfered in Plaintiff's expectancy by making false representations about Plaintiff to the Joplin Schools Board of Education. Said representations included, but were not limited to, accusations that Plaintiff had violated the regulations governing administration of the MAP test."

Because of those "misrepresentations," the petition says, "The Board of Education voted on or about April 15, 2010, to rescind its motion to offer the contract of employment to the plaintiff."

The lawsuit lists no defendant other than Ms. Besendorfer. "There was no justification for (her) actions," the petition says.

"As a result of Defendant's actions, Plaintiff has suffered damages, including lost wages, mental and emotional distress."

Besendorfer's actions are referred to as "willful, wanton, and made with the knowledge that they would cause damage to Plaintiff>"

Masters' attorney, Raymond Lampert of Springfield, is asking that Masters receive "lost wages, mental and emotional damage, punitive damages, the costs of this action, and to grant such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper."

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The book that caused Angie Besendorfer to flip her lid- No Child Left Alive, available in paperback and e-book versions. The book tells the tale of teachers caught between clueless administrators and out-of-control students. If the shooter doesn't get them, the system will.
http://www.amazon.com/Child-Left-Alive-Randy-Turner/dp/1490388036/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389665276&sr=8-2&keywords=No+Child+Left+Alive

Things I'm Thinking About, January 9- Why I Ran the Besendorfer Divorce Story

A few things I'm thinking about:

Why I ran the Besendorfer story- One of the comments I have seen a few times since I posted the story about Joplin R-8 Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer's filing for divorce is that it is not news and people are certainly entitled to their definition of news. I have also heard that more and more I am sounding like a bitter, fired teacher and I have even been accused of stalking.

It Was News- If Angie Besendorfer had filed for divorce even a month or two after my termination hearing, I would not have written a word about it. Some of you may find that hard to believe, but at that point, it did not tie in to any other news stories. I did not just add the last few paragraphs of the story to make it longer. Besendorfer's departure for Western Governors University is a major development in the ongoing series of revelations about the Joplin R-8 School District. It was announced on the day before Thanksgiving with little or no ceremony. Considering the ongoing investigations into the operations of the school district, it was quite natural that many considered it a sign of someone leaving a sinking ship. After all, why would someone under contract leave a school district halfway through the year at a time when new schools are opening- schools that are more a product of her vision than anyone else's? And especially when the crown jewel of those new schools, Joplin High School, is still several months away from opening. I have had people e-mail me and tell me that the marital problems were taking place and offering that as a reason why Besendorfer might be taking the WGU job. At that point, however, the information was not a matter of public record. Now it is. The departure of Angie Besendorfer from the Joplin Schools is a major story. The reason why, and we still do not know it for sure- it could very well be because WGU is a dream job- is an important part of the story.

Stalking?- I understand the people who have a problem with inserting a personal situation, even one that is a matter of record, in a post. Those who took the cheap shot of calling me a stalker are just taking cheap shots. One of the reasons I have so many stories that are not featured elsewhere is because I go through state, county, and federal records on a daily basis. Was I stalking Daniel Whirworth when I ran the target letter he received from the U. S. Attorney telling him he was the subject of a grand jury investigation or Jeffrey Bruner when I wrote that he had been bound over for trial and had his bond set at $1 million? Obviously not, but the last time I received criticism for bringing personal information into a news story was when I revealed that Bruner's wife was an employee at Missouri Southern State University, where murder victim Derek Moore was an offensive line coach. What did that have to do with anything, people wrote me. Sources had already told me that it was very much connected to what happened at Northstar 14, something that quickly became apparent.

Bitter? Considering the character assassination that took place last year, something that I have no doubt involved Angie Besendorfer and almost certainly was instigated by her, I would guess not many people would blame me for being bitter. Perhaps to some extent I am, but that is not the reason I have written so many posts about the problems in the Joplin R-8 School District. The one good thing that has come out of my firing is that I have been given the opportunity to work on the biggest story I have been handed in the nearly 37 years since I started my first newspaper job. Hundreds of teachers leaving the school district, out-of-control spending, a climate of fear like none I have seen in the all of the years I covered area school districts and much, much more. Perhaps I am bitter, but I take reporting seriously. As with my earlier reporting on Bruce Speck and the problems at Missouri Southern, no one ever questioned the journalism; they just attacked me personally or accused me of being tabloid.

In conclusion- For those of you who simply have a problem with ever bringing something like a divorce into the news, I respect that opinion and I do not want to lose you as readers. I want you to know that writing  something like this is not something I do without careful consideration. Judge me on my entire record.

Besendorfer files for divorce

Joplin R-8 Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer, 46, filed for a dissolution of marriage today in Newton County Circuit Court, according to online court records.

Her husband, Ron Besendorfer, 46, waived service and made an entry of appearance.

Angie Besendorfer, who first signed on with the Joplin R-8 School District in 2007, is in her last month at the school. It was announced in November that she will leave the school district to become the chancellor at Western Governors University, an online college.

In an article published Dec. 22 in the Joplin Regional Business Journal, Ms. Besendorfer explained why she was taking the job:

"(Joplin Superintendent) C. J. Huff is on the board of advisors for WGU-MO and actually is the one who told me about the position. He encouraged me to consider it. He is a great boss and great bosses look out for their staff. He saw this as a good opportunity for my career path and he was right."

2013 in Review: Besendorfer quits

(From November 27, 2013)

Joplin R-8 Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer is leaving the district after this semester.

Besendorfer, who has been in the district for seven years, announced her resignation today to become the chancellor of Western Governors University Missouri, an online school.

The following news release was issued by the Joplin R-8 School District.

Joplin Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Angie Besendorfer announced today her plans to resign from Joplin Schools and accept a position as Chancellor of WGU Missouri in January 2014.

“A decision like this is really difficult,” said Dr. Besendorfer. “I love the direction Joplin Schools is going, and it's hard to choose to leave, especially at such a transitional time for the district, but WGU Missouri is also an innovative education institution and offered me an exciting opportunity that I just couldn't refuse.”

Dr. Besendorfer has worked for Joplin Schools as assistant superintendent since 2007. During her tenure, she led important initiatives related to teaching and learning that have impacted education in Joplin Schools at all grade levels. She has also played a primary role in the recovery process after the May 22, 2011 tornado. After the disaster, she spearheaded the design process for both temporary and permanent facilities, and she was instrumental in the implementation of the one-to-one laptop initiative at Joplin High School.

“Dr. Besendorfer has a passion and vision for education that goes beyond the traditional classroom setting,” said Joplin Schools Superintendent Dr. C.J. Huff. “Her collaborative work with staff, parents, and the community has helped to develop a collective vision which has laid the groundwork for Joplin Schools' efforts to provide a 21st century education in our community. We hate to see Angie leave the Joplin Schools’ family, but we are excited for her and the role she will continue to play in Missouri education.”

“We’re delighted to have someone of Angie’s caliber and commitment to education join us as Chancellor of WGU Missouri,” said Western Governors University President Dr. Robert W. Mendenhall. “Providing high quality, affordable degree programs for teachers and administrators is a significant part of what we do, and Angie’s background and experience in K-12 education will be key to helping us grow and develop our teacher education programs in Missouri.”

WGU Missouri is a nonprofit, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. Established by the state of Missouri through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri offers more than 50 accredited, competency-based undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing.