photo by: Contributed

Heather Renk, Broken Arrow Elementary principal

The Lawrence school district has announced the resignation of Broken Arrow Elementary School Principal Heather Renk.

Renk, who is in her second year in her position, will resign effective June 30, 2022, pending school board approval, according to a district news release. She has accepted a high school principal position in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Superintendent Anthony Lewis said he appreciated Renk’s contributions to building strong relationships with staff and school families to support student achievement and success at Broken Arrow.

“I value Heather as a member of our leadership team and wish her well at her new school,” Lewis said in the release.

Prior to joining Lawrence Public Schools, Renk served for seven years as a principal in Atchison and Nortonville, Kansas, and worked seven years as a teacher and counselor in Riley, Marysville, and Salina. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Kansas State University and a master’s degree at Emporia State University.

Renk said she has enjoyed her time in Lawrence public schools, and described Broken Arrow staff as dedicated to creating a positive school culture and climate while striving for academic excellence. She said she would miss the Broken Arrow community.

“They have high expectations of their children and the school and are incredibly supportive of the Broken Arrow community as a whole,” Renk said in the release.

The district is facing a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall, and the release states that the district is evaluating all staffing vacancies as part of the school board’s current budget planning process.