Ste. Genevieve R-II School District is proud to announce Ste. Genevieve High School’s new administrative team for the 2021-2022 school year, Principal John Boyd, Jr., and Assistant Principal Jami Drury!
Both Dr. Boyd and Mrs. Drury have been members of the Ste. Genevieve County R-II family for several years, both working as educators in Ste. Genevieve High School for the last several years. Dr. Boyd was chosen for Ste. Genevieve High School’s principal position for this upcoming year, after spending three years in the assistant principal position. Mrs. Drury is taking her first position as an administrator, after holding the position of Process Coordinator for the district for 12 years.
Dr. Boyd’s drive in supporting student success is rooted in his connection to the school community—he attended Ste. Genevieve County R-II, and participated and excelled in our cross country and track programs before returning years later to teach for SG R-II. These experiences act as a foundation for his commitment to building student-focused approaches. Dr. Boyd exudes a level-headed and empathetic demeanor no matter the situation, and quickly establishes trusting relationships with students, parents and community members.
Through her years of experience working with students with different types of learning needs and abilities, Mrs. Drury brings with her a thorough understanding of our diverse learners, and the challenges some face. Her dedication is centered on providing and supporting learning equity for every student, and this purposeful approach will be invaluable in her new role as assistant principal.
“Dr. Boyd and Mrs. Drury will have the ability to quickly cultivate fast growth as a leadership team, given their current roles and responsibilities at the high school,” Dr. Flieg said. “The level of trust and flow of teamwork has already been established, and we could not be more excited to have these two educators leading our high school. We would like to congratulate them on their new positions and are looking forward to leadership at SGHS next school year.”
About Dr. Boyd
Dr. Boyd joined the SG R-II team in 2011, when he took a position at Ste. Genevieve High School teaching social studies and taking on the role of freshman class sponsor. He spent seven years teaching before becoming the Ste. Genevieve High School assistant principal, a position he held for three years. Dr. Boyd began his career in education in 2009 in North St. Francois County R-I, where he taught middle school social studies and served as the Social Studies Department Leader, the Head Cross County Coach, and the Assistant Track Coach.
While at SG R-II, Dr. Boyd has served on the High School Principal’s Advisory Committee, the High School Principal’s Student Advisory Committee, and has served as chair of the Leadership Committee, as well as chair of the A+ Advisory Committee. He currently serves as a mentor for the Missouri Leadership Development System, as well as the treasurer of the Southeast Region of the Missouri Association for Secondary School Principals.
When thinking back on the accomplishments for which he is most proud to have played a part, Dr. Boyd says first and foremost is serving the faculty and students at SGHS, followed by continuing the district’s tradition of excellence. He also points to the achievement of increasing the End-of-Course exams above the state average, along with coaching multiple state championship cross country and track teams.
As an alumnus of the Ste. Genevieve R-II Track and Cross Country programs, Dr. Boyd took the opportunity to get involved as a coach, and has held the following positions: Assistant Girls Track Coach for five years, Head Girls Track Coach for two years, Assistant Cross Country Coach for five years, and Head Cross Country Coach for two years.
Dr. Boyd earned his bachelor’s degree in History from Lindenwood University, and is certified to teach social studies to grades 5 - 12. He earned the following degrees from Missouri Baptist University: a master’s degree in Educational Administration with a Principal’s Certificate for grades 7 - 12, a specialist degree in Educational Administration, and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership.
Educational Philosophy:
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” - Steve Prefontaine, American Olympic long distance runner
“I believe it is important to pour our hearts into things that we are passionate about each day,” Dr. Boyd says. “Our faculty and students motivate me every day to give them my very best, and I owe it to all educational stakeholders to work extremely hard to serve them.”
About Mrs. Drury
Mrs. Drury first joined the SG R-II family in 1999 as a paraprofessional at Bloomsdale Elementary, a position she held for six years. She became a Special Education teacher for the following four years, and then moved to the Process Coordinator role at Ste. Genevieve Middle School and Ste. Genevieve High School, a position she held for 12 years. During that time, she also served as the Class of 2014’s advisor for four years.
When thinking back on the accomplishments for which she is most proud to have played a part, what comes to mind are her years as Process Coordinator, where part of her role was to develop a program for community integration and workforce development skills for students with disabilities. During these years, she was able to: develop a successful job shadowing program with local businesses, obtain a grant to fund the purchase of a van for community visits and work placements, present at state level conferences about these programs, coordinate resource development to assist students/families with post-secondary education/work, start the process to establish an apprenticeship program with the support of MO Workforce Development, and advocate for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities.
During her time at SG R-II, Mrs. Drury served on the Facilities Committee and the FACS Advisory Committee. She is active in community organizations, serving as a Ste. Genevieve Rotary Club member, and on the Community Counseling Center Governing Board of Directors.
In 2020, Mrs. Drury was honored by the Rotary with the Paul Harris Fellowship, and she was also inducted into Beta Rho’s Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a professional honor society of women educators. Mrs. Drury was also recognized as the 2002 Ste. Genevieve County R-II Employee of the Year.
Mrs. Drury earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development from Southeast Missouri State University, her Master of Science in Education: Classroom Teaching from Missouri Baptist University, her Master of Educational Administration from Missouri Baptist, and her Specialist in Education: Educational Leadership from SEMO. She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from William Woods University. Mrs. Drury holds certifications for Elementary Education (Grades 1 - 6), Cross Categorical ( Grades K - 12), Special Education Administration (Grades K - 12), and Principal (Grades 7 - 12).
Educational Philosophy: “When you learn, teach; When you get, give.” — Maya Angelou