Issue 6 Page 2

Uncertainty is the word for the 2023-24 school year.

Uncertainty is the word for the 2023-24 school year.Principal Tim Hamblin and three assistant principals are leaving. The fourth AP, Suzie Cochran, is currently expected to return for next year.

Then there’s the teachers who are leaving, including special education teacher Austin Glanville and ASL teacher Katie Murphy.

“Fourteen staff members that I’m aware of at this moment,” principal Tim Hamblin said on April 19. 

On May 5, it was 16 staff members.

There’s faith that DHS’ high standards will continue.

“I know so many gifted, dedicated, caring second-miler teachers that I am confident that there is a pool of the best folks from which DHS can discover high-quality, adept and gifted principals,” English teacher Edward Belsan said.

AP Shane Seeley will be the Campus principal, Corey Gabbert an assistant principal at Wichita Southeast. Nicole Perez has not said where she’s going.

On April 28, Becky Moeder, assistant superintendent of Human Resources, sent out an email informing DHS staff that three assistant principals have been hired.

“We are excited to announce that Justin McCubbin, Michael Moseley and Cheryl Parks will be recommended to the Board of Education at the May 8 Board of Education Meeting as the new assistant principals at Derby High School,” Moeder wrote in an email.

None of the new hires have been APs before.

With Hamblin leaving after this school year, students and staff are worried about who will fill his shoes.

“I’m kind of scared that someone mean is going to take over next year or change the school a lot,” freshman Cameron Wilson said.

Demand for teachers is projected to jump 5% from 2021 to 2023.

“The demand maybe isn’t increasing but the supply of available teachers to replace those leaving their profession is dwindling to very dangerous numbers,” Hamblin said.