Fulton to lead Pattonville School District
The Pattonville School District has a new superintendent.

Mike Fulton will begin serving in that capacity July 1. The Pattonville Board of Education unanimously selected Fulton March 17.

He will replace Hugh Kinney, who will retire June 30 after serving the district for 10 years.

"The entire Board of Education is excited to have Dr. Fulton move into this position," said school board President Ron Kuschel. "He is a true advocate for our children and will continue Pattonville's tradition of staying focused on doing what's best for our students. He brings with him years of leadership experience, solid results in improving student achievement and a passion for helping our children and community."

Fulton is serving as Pattonville's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. He has worked for the district for 12 years, 10 of them as assistant superintendent. In his current position, he supervises the instructional program for pre-kindergarten through 12th grades.

Fulton said he's both humbled and honored the board chose him as Pattonville's next superintendent.

"Pattonville has great students, an outstanding staff, supportive and involved parents, and a Board of Education that deeply cares about children," he said. "Working from that foundation, we'll continue our focus on doing what's right for all children."

Prior to working in Pattonville, Fulton taught at Wydown Middle School and was assessment coordinator for the Clayton School District. While at Clayton, he taught sixth-grade mathematics and science, served as an elementary technology teacher and as a seventh-grade gifted teacher.

Fulton began his career as an elementary physical education teacher in the Bloomington (Ill.) School District, where he also taught fifth and sixth grades and served as the district's liaison to Illinois State University. He also coached wrestling at Bloomington High School.

He earned his doctorate in education from Saint Louis University in 2002. Fulton also has a master's degree in school administration from Illinois State University and a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Missouri State University.

Fulton was honored for excellence in teaching in 1990 when he was awarded honorable mention in Teacher's Magazine's

Professional Best Awards program. In 2005, he also was honored with a Pride of Pattonville Award, which honors Pattonville volunteers and staff for service above and beyond expectations.

Fulton, 46, and his wife, Katy, live in Bridgeton and have four children, one a 2006 Pattonville graduate and three who attend Pattonville schools.