Principal to take superintendent position in different district

Dr. Rich Powers, will be leaving Cedar Falls after 8 years as principal.

CFHS principal Dr. Rich Powers has taken a superintendent position for the 2014-2015 school year in Bondurrant-Farrar, a district a few miles from downtown Des Moines.

Powers said his decision to go to Bondurrant-Farrar was simply because it was a great opportunity. “It’s the fastest growing school district, percentage-wise, in the state,” Powers said.

Powers said the growth is a challenge, one that he willingly accepts. He described the principal and superintendent positions as plates spinning: “There are always projects going simultaneously,” Powers said. He also said he enjoys the opportunity to impact students in different ways, as he can do in both the principal and superintendent positions.

Cedar Falls High School, as well as the district, is currently undergoing a lot of transitions. However, Powers is not worried about how his absence will affect those transitions. He recalled that when he came to Cedar Falls eight years ago, the district was undergoing transitions then, too. “It’s just the natural cycle,” Powers said.

Powers also looked to the excellent staff at the school. “There are a lot of great people here,” he said. “It’s not a one person organization.”

He also credited the staff with helping to create “more of a shared vision,” his proudest accomplishment here at the high school.  “The entire staff has been the reason things have moved forward,” Powers said. He credited the excellent staff plan for training with the Chromebooks, noting that Cedar Falls High School has continually hired great teachers. Another proud accomplishment is the increase in college classes offered at the high school. Powers said that when he arrived at Cedar Falls, there were only 15 AP and college level classes. Next year, after his nine years here, there will be 30. Furthermore, nearly 80 percent of CFHS students have taken at least one AP or college level class when they graduate. Although Powers will not be here in the fall, he is still thinking about the district’s well-being. “I hope next September the community supports the request to build a new high school,” Powers said. “It is absolutely needed, and our staff and students deserve that.”

Indicated by his high praise and fond memories, Powers will clearly miss Cedar Falls High School and the Cedar Falls community. “Without a doubt, I have many lifelong friends here, both staff and students. That will be the greatest challenge.”

However, Powers is very excited for many aspects of Bondurant-Farrar. He acknowledged that it is a great opportunity professionally, as well as a great place for his children to attend. The district has a brand new 1:1 high school that his daughter will be able to attend very soon. “I think it’s a very close-knit, highly supportive community, not very different from Cedar Falls in that regard,” Powers said. Without a doubt, Powers will be greatly missed, but he will surely make an impact on his next professional journey.