Teton County School District Superintendent Pam Shea will retire at the end of this month, after working in the district for more than 30 years.
Under her 9-year tenure as the district’s top administrator, student test scores and teacher salaries rose, and the district launched successful efforts like its dual immersion Spanish program.
Shea was previously a school principal and, before that, a classroom teacher in Jackson. She will be replaced by Dr. Gillian Chapman, an associate superintendent from Kansas. Shea says, with the high cost of living in Teton County, hiring and keeping good teachers will be the biggest challenge for her replacement in the years ahead.
"As recalibration moves forward, we know teachers—second to strong principals—are the most powerful influence on student success and achievement," says Shea. "So, really being able to retain and recruit high-quality teachers."
Shea says it’s bittersweet to exit her post—but she’s looking forward to spending more time with her children as they enter young adulthood.
