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Mountain Home Superintendent Dr. Jake Long has found a new home following his resignation with Mountain Home Public Schools two weeks ago.
The soon-to-be former Bomber has picked up a new position as the superintendent for the Howell Valley School District in Missouri following a vote by the district’s school board during their monthly meeting last week. The district is located near West Plains, Missouri.
The school district is roughly 20 minutes away from Long’s Missouri farm.
Long’s announcement of his departure from Mountain Home Public Schools caused quite a stir amongst Mountain Home residents, with many parents showing sadness at his leaving after eight years at the helm of their children’s education.
Others though, believe the timing is suspicious, noting that Long announced his resignation on the same night that state representatives warned the school board that both Long and its board members could be replaced by the state if they fail to address the district’s failing high school.
Long stated that the issues facing the high school had nothing to do with his decision to leave the district. He reiterated that statement when asked for comment on obtaining his new position with the Howell Valley School District.
Long said he applied for the position at Howell Valley “a few months back.”
“Being a part of Mountain Home Public Schools for the last eight years has been a dream come true and now I look forward to this new chapter of being closer to family and our farm while also getting to work with the incredible people of Howell Valley School District,” Long said.
Returning to Missouri
Becoming a superintendent for Howell Valley will mark the second time in Long’s career that he has served as the head of a school district in Missouri.
In 2015, Long became superintendent for St. Joseph School District following an FBI investigation that found that Superintendent Dr. Fred Czerwonka used a $270,000 insurance rebate to give $5,000 stipends to 54 administrators without the knowledge or approval of the board. Soon after the stipends were handed out, Dr. Czerwonka was being called “The Candy Man” by many in the district. Revelation of “The Candy Man” stipends led to the discovery of many other unapproved pay boosts given to administrators, principals and some teachers.
Also in question were promotions and raises given to Czerwonka’s wife, the wife of Human Resources Director Doug Flowers and the son of former board president Dan Colgan.
At the time, Long was serving as the district’s director of transportation and security and was temporarily appointed as acting superintendent. Czerwonka was eventually fired from his position as superintendent. Long would leave the district within a few months for a position at Mountain Home Public Schools.
The scandal was revealed following the release of secret tape recordings by the district’s former chief financial officer, Beau Musser, and by information received by Chris Danford, a member of the district’s school board at the time.
The main people involved in the stipend scandal were Czerwonka, former Chief Operating Officer Rick Hartigan, former Human Resources Director Doug Flowers, and former School Board President Dan Colgan. Following his part in exposing what happened at St. Joseph’s, Musser was placed on administrative leave by the district following false claims of sexual harassment. The district settled with Musser following a defamation lawsuit filed in response to the allegations for $450,000.
During this time period, the West Plains School District would be dragged into the investigation over their ties to Czerwonka, who served as superintendent for that district from 2009 to 2013.
As the scandal unfolded, Long had to face the fall out and public backlash from community members against the district, as well as a scathing IRS audit and multiple resignations and firings. It should be noted that Long was one of the 55 individuals to receive a stipend without board approval. In total he received an additional $22,800 in stipends for night duty, travel, graduate credit and superintendent’s council.
Long was never charged with a crime, nor was he under criminal investigation by the FBI. The decision to hand out these stipends without approval was made by Czerwonka.
Mountain Home Public Schools
At Mountain Home Public Schools, Long flourished, becoming a very popular superintendent who managed to navigate the district through difficult times, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
While serving the district, he made significant upgrades to its schools and pushed for increased wages for its teachers. His career at Mountain Home was highlighted by more praise than criticism, even when making unpopular decisions within the district.
Long and the school board would draw some ire from more conservative members of the public after attempting to pass a millage increase last year to conduct a major renovation and overhaul of Mountain Home High School’s oldest building and its two aging roofs.
That attempt failed by a narrow margin, leading to this year’s discussion about a second attempt at a millage increase. The Mountain Home School Board approved that second attempt during last Thursday’s regularly scheduled school board meeting.
If voters give approval to the second attempt, then the district will increase its millage rate by 2.25 mills. The school district currently has a millage rate of 32.16 mills, one of the lowest rates in all of Arkansas. The 2.25 millage increase would bring in roughly $54,265,000, which would be solely used to fund a remodel of the district’s ailing high school. The increase would roughly cost a taxpayer living in a $150,000 home $5.63 per month or $67.50 a year in new taxes.
Long’s new position at Howell Valley School District will see him be responsible for the district’s pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students. The district does not have a high school at this time.
Long is set to be replaced by Allyson Dewey, a long time Bomber who taught 4th and 5th grade at Pinkston Middle School for nine years before becoming its assistant principal in 2011. She is a graduate of MHHS and the University of Central Arkansas.
During her long career as a Bomber, Dewey has served on various committees such as the district curriculum committee, the district technology committee, the building handbook committee and more. She currently serves as assistant superintendent for the district.
