The St. Joseph School District Board of Education unanimously approved recent
hires at the June 22, 2015 board meeting. Two human resources professionals to help restructure the
Human Resources Department were approved, along with a Director of Nutrition Services. Amy
Todd has been named Director of Human Resources, and Carolyn Sanders has been named Assistant
Director of Human Resources. Leah Schmidt has been named Director of Nutrition Services.
“This is a huge step for the district in completing the third priority on the Board of Education
checklist, which dealt with our Human Resources Department. We had not one, but two excellent
candidates with high-level experience in human resources management. This is our opportunity to
bring both of these quality candidates into the district and begin making those necessary changes that
were highlighted in the state audit,” said Brad Haggard, Board of Education President. “Both bring
high skill sets to the district. From staff recruitment, policy and procedure development and
management, to benefits management, expect to see a streamlined department. This is a step in the
right direction to begin correcting some of the key issues we are facing,” continued Haggard.
Amy Todd has been with WireCo WorldGroup since August 1998. She was the Vice-
President/Director of Human Resources North America since 2013. Todd supervised management
relations, compliance, recruitment, employee/labor relations, policy and planning, and performance
management. She also managed all other human resources functions and payroll in the United States
and Mexico. Before that, she served as the Director of Human Resources for U.S./Canada, and
Corporate Human Resource Manager in addition to other HR roles within the company. Todd
received her Masters in Science in Human Resources Administration from Central Michigan
University, and her Bachelor of Science in Personnel Psychology from Missouri Western State
University in St. Joseph, Missouri. Todd’s salary will be $119,442.
Carolyn Sanders has been with the Kansas City Star since 2011 as Vice-President, Human Resources.
Her areas included all aspects of Human Resources including recruitment, on-boarding, discipline, terminations, unemployment protest and appeals, and legal compliance. She has thirteen years human
resources experience and benefits management. Sanders has a Professional in Human Resources
(PHR®) certification, which demonstrates a mastery of the technical and operational aspects of HR
practices and U.S. laws and regulations. Currently, she is on track to receive a Certified Employee
Benefit Specialist (CEBS) certification, a highly renowned designation covering all aspects of
benefits and compensation. Sanders has a Masters in Business Administration from Northwest
Missouri State University, and received her Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the
University of Phoenix, Kansas City. She also received her Associate of Business, Mid-Management
from Missouri Western State University. Sanders salary will be $102,509.
“Reorganizing the human resources department was a high priority for all involved. Our staff and
students will benefit from their expertise, and we hope the community will see how committed we are
to moving this district forward,” said Dr. Jake Long, Acting Superintendent. “To have two excellent
candidates versed in laws, policies and procedures is a huge plus for the district,” continued Long.
Dr. Mark Frost, Interim Human Resource Director, and Dr. Vida Santone, Interim Human Resource
Director, will continue providing direction during the transition phase in the Human Resources
Department.
Additionally, the Board of Education approved Leah Schmidt as the Director of Nutrition Services.
Schmidt has been the Director of Food & Nutrition Services with the Hickman Mills C-1 School
District since 1998. Schmidt supervised a $5,000,000 dollar budget, eighty employees, and oversaw
over 5,000 lunches, 3,700 breakfasts and 1,300 dinners served throughout the week. She was named
the School Nutrition Association (SNA) National Director of the Year for 2014-2015. Schmidt has a
Bachelor of Science, Dietetics and Food Service Management from Saint Mary College in
Leavenworth, Kansas. Schmidt’s salary will be $80,958.
“We are certainly pleased to be able to hire a Nutrition Services Director with excellent qualifications
and large school district experience. We have no doubt she will direct our internal nutrition
operations in a positive and productive manner as we assume food operations in-house this year,”
said Haggard.