The St. Joseph Board of Education has selected Dr. Lara Gilpin as Benton High School principal for the 2021-22 school year.
Dr. Gilpin has spent 30 years in education, 28 of those years working as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal in the St. Joseph School District. Dr. Gilpin has served as principal at Spring Garden Middle School since 2002.
She received a bachelor's, master's, and specialist degree from Northwest Missouri State University and received her doctorate from Baker University.
Dr. Gilpin was named the Northwest MoASSP (Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals) District Middle School Principal of the Year in both 2017 and 2019.
Dr. Gilpin will replace Dr. Beery Johnson who is retiring at the end of this school year after 24 years of service with the SJSD. Dr. Johnson has served as principal at Benton High School since 2013.