Leaders will Step into New Roles July 1, 2022
Burlington School District (BSD) is pleased to announce the appointment of three principals. Jim Kelley has been named principal of Hunt Middle School (HMS), Nikki Ellis has been named principal of Flynn Elementary School, and Kolby Snellenberger has been named principal of Edmunds Elementary School. All three candidates were approved by the Burlington Board of School Commissioners at a Special Board Meeting on Tuesday, May 24.
“I am grateful for the Board’s support of these candidates and excited about the strengths these leaders bring to our schools and to our District leadership team,” said Tom Flanagan, BSD Superintendent. “Jim Kelley brings empathy, integrity, stability, and a commitment to helping the HMS community grow in their antiracist work. Nikki Ellis’ commitment to restorative practices, building relationships, and empowering both staff and students will be a great asset to the Flynn community. And Kolby Snellenberger’s experience, ability to connect with people, and commitment to equity are a great fit for BSD.”
Flanagan noted that the principal search process was led by a hiring committee at each school, comprised of staff, family, and community partner representatives. Students also served on the HMS hiring committee and had a chance to meet and give feedback on the elementary school candidates. Each school’s hiring committee recommended final candidates to Superintendent Flanagan who ultimately recommended Kelley, Ellis, and Snellenberger to the Board.
Two of the appointees, Kelley and Ellis, currently serve in BSD, and Kolby Snellenber will be coming to Burlington by way of Arkansas. Jim Kelley had been the assistant principal of HMS for four years before stepping into the role of interim principal of the school earlier this year, while Nikki Ellis currently serves as the assistant principal of Edmunds Elementary school; BSD will begin a search for new assistant principals of each school immediately. Kolby Snellenber is currently serving his third year as the principal of the Butterfield Trail Middle School (BTMS) in Van Buren, Arkansas. Prior to that, he was a K-12 Principal and a science teacher for 12 years.
