The Cassville Board of Education has selected Kendale Ellis to serve as the director of special services for the Cassville School District, effective July 1.

This news comes after the current special services director, Mrs. Amy Stephenson, announced her retirement after working at the district for nearly 30 years. “I am excited and grateful to continue the standard of excellence that has been set by the Cassville school district,” Ellis said. “Having Amy Stephenson as a mentor and friend throughout my tenure at Cassville has been an invaluable experience, for which I am extremely thankful.”

Ellis brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role, having dedicated her career to serving students with diverse learning needs. She began her career in Sparta as a high needs special education elementary classroom teacher.

After her time in Sparta, she moved to the Purdy School District in order to be closer to her family. While at Purdy, she served as a classroom teacher and later as the Process Coordinator. In 2019, she joined the Cassville R-IV staff serving as the third-twelfth grade process coordinator and the district’s psychological examiner.

As the process coordinator, she has been responsible for ensuring compliance with special education regulations, overseeing the delivery of appropriate services to students, providing support to both general education and special education teachers and has completed all psychological testing for students in kindergarten- twelfth grade. “We are thrilled to welcome Kendale Ellis as the director of special services for our district,” said Merlyn Johnson, Cassville superintendent. “Kendale’s exceptional work ethic and passion for supporting children and their families make her the perfect fit for this role.”

Ellis holds a Master’s degree in special education, along with a specialist in counseling and assessment, both from Missouri State University.

“I look forward to working with our staff to ensure that all students have access to an appropriate, high quality education,” Ellis said. “The special education department has a belief that all students are scholars and all students deserve the very best education that we can afford them.”

Growing up in Exeter, Ellis has always called Barry County home.

She and her husband, Jordan, have 2 children: Ryder and Remy.