New Rockwood Board of Education Officers Selected

Rockwood School District's board of education will be led by two new officers, after the group's . Janet Strate became president and Matt Doell became vice president at the board's Thursday meeting at Crestview Middle School in Ellisville.

Citing some people's concerns about his employment with Glenn Construction—the company that has provided program management services for the district's bond issue projects—Steve Smith stepped away from leading the group but said he intends to complete his board term.

Smith previously served on the board of education from 1989 to 1995. He was appointed in 2003 to fill Judy Dungan's position until a 2004 election. He also was appointed in 2010 to fill Rao Kaza's position until the April 2011 election, in which he was elected to serve until 2014.

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Strate is serving her third term on the board, with the first period 2004 to 2006, and the second period 2007 to 2010. Her current term expires during 2013. She served as vice president when Smith was president.

Doell was elected to the board in 2011. His term expires in 2014.

Strate, a Chesterfield resident, received her master’s in business administration from Webster University and is a certified public accountant. Prior to serving on Rockwood's board of education, she was a committee chair for Point Rockwood. She also served on the district's curriculum and instruction committee. She currently serves on the governing council of the Special School District. She and her husband's three boys attend Rockwood schools.

Doell resides in , and is a licensed, professional engineer. He has a master's degree in business administration from the University of Missouri St. Louis and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He and his wife have two sons who attend Rockwood schools.