Republic hires high school principal as next assistant superintendent 

John Thompson, principal of Republic High School, has been promoted to a top district leadership position. 

The school board voted Jan. 15 to hire Thompson as assistant superintendent of academic services. He will replace Tyler Overstreet, who will become superintendent after the retirement of Matt Pearce. The new roles start July 1. 

Thompson, high school principal since 2020, will oversee human resources and academic services including curriculum, instruction, assessment and continuous improvement efforts in the central office job. 

“Dr. Thompson leads with relationships at the center of his work and is deeply committed to building a culture that supports strong teaching and learning,” said Overstreet in a news release. “He is a reflective, intentional and visionary leader who brings a strategic mindset to aligning people, systems and purpose. I am confident his leadership will strengthen our academic work as we build on the strong foundation already in place across our district.” 

Thompson, who has a doctorate in educational administration from Lindenwood University, spent 11 years as a science teacher and coach at Springfield’s Parkview High School. He has also worked as an assistant principal and athletic director. 

His salary will be $145,000. 

“In this new role, I look forward to strengthening relationships and leading through service as we continue working together in support of student learning,” Thompson said in the release. “We truly have the best students, families and employees working together to fulfill our mission of preparing each student for future excellence through a safe educational environment.” 

With the hiring, the district is searching for a new high school principal.