There is quite a wind of change at West Noble Elementary School.
The near term is seeing construction prep work and renovations started. But the major change is the retirement of principal Mark Yoder, who has served the school for a better part of the past three decades.
With such a major void to fill, as well as considerations to the impending merge of West Noble Primary into the Elementary School for the 2027-28 school year, finding the best fit for the principal position was one of the major decisions to be made on the West Noble School Corporation agenda this spring.
This evening, the West Noble School Corporation school board as well as superintendent Dr. Nate Lowe, have chosen current West Noble Elementary assistant principal, Jennifer Duncan, to become the next elementary principal.
“West Noble is special because of the staff who go above and beyond for students, the families who support our schools, and the students who make this work meaningful every day,” Duncan said. “This community cares deeply about kids and about each other. That’s what has kept me here for 24 years, and it’s why I’m excited to continue leading and serving in this community.”
As Duncan mentioned, she has been part of the West Noble family for two dozen years, starting as a first grade teacher and worked with English learners before ascending to an administrator role as assistant principal at WNE. For the past 14 years, she has served that role well, working directly with Yoder and the staff, many of which have been with her for the entirety of her stay at WNE.
“The support from staff has been overwhelming in the best way,” noted Duncan. “Their encouragement and excitement have been such a meaningful reminder of why I love being part of West Noble. We truly have an amazing team of people who care deeply about kids, and I’m grateful to work alongside them every day. I’m excited about what we’ll continue to accomplish together.”
Duncan knows there will be challenges in the coming couple of years, notably in transition to the principal role as well as the merger. Her plan, however, remains largely the same as it was in previous years. Staying transparent, approachable and consistent in leadership, staying essential in collaboration and communication and continuing to work toward common goals.
“Over the last two years, we’ve made tremendous progress in strengthening instruction and supporting student growth,” Duncan said. “Moving into this role, my focus is not on changing direction, but continuing to build on that work. We’ll continue prioritizing strong reading instruction while also focusing on strengthening core math instruction. I’m excited to continue the momentum we’ve created together.
“Starting this fall, I hope to begin intentionally building connections between the primary and elementary. There is a lot of exciting work ahead, and I believe we have incredible people in both buildings to make it happen. My hope is that in the fall of 2027, we are working as one school community that reflects the best of both.”