April 6, 2024

During the March 28, 2024 board meeting, the Lee’s Summit R-7 Board of Education approved the employment of three new elementary school principals and a director for the new pre-K program in the district.

Jason Koivuniemi-Berg will begin his duties as principal of Richardson Elementary, where he currently serves as assistant principal, starting on June 22, 2024 for the 2024-25 school year.

Koivuniemi-Berg has been in education for 12 years, the last seven of those in the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. Prior to his tenure as assistant principal, Koivuniemi-Berg was a Special Education teacher at F.L. Schlagle High School in the Kansas City, Kansas Public School District during the 2012-2013 school year, then he served as a physical education teacher first at Sunset Canyon Elementary in Phoenix, then at Lee’s Summit Elementary School from 2016 through 2021.

Koivuniemi-Berg earned his Bachelor of Arts in K-12 Physical Education and 5-12 Health Education from Graceland University, his Masters of Science in Education Administration from the University of Central Missouri and will earn his Educational Leadership Specialist and Superintendent Certifications from the University of Central Missouri.

Stacy Orf will begin her duties as principal of Highland Park Elementary, where she currently serves as assistant principal, starting on June 22, 2024 for the 2024-25 school year.

Orf has spent 19 years in education, the last 12 of which were in the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. Prior to her tenure as assistant principal of Highland Park Elementary, Orf was a first and second grade teacher at Highland Park. She also taught first grade at Stonegate Elementary in the Raymore-Peculiar School District from 2005-2012.

Orf earned her Bachelors of Science in Public Relations, a Postbaccalaureate and an Education Specialist in Superintendency from the University of Central Missouri. She earned her Masters in Elementary Education Administration from William Woods University.

Marsha Hasty will begin her duties as principal of Woodland Elementary, starting on June 22, 2024 for the 2024-25 school year.

Hasty has spent seven years in education, three of those in the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. Currently, she is assistant principal at Summit Lakes Middle School. Prior to her tenure as assistant principal, Hasty was an English Language Arts teacher at Ray-Pec East Middle School and Pleasant Lea Middle School. She also previously split her time as assistant principal between Pleasant Lea and Summit Lakes Middle Schools.

Hasty earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Graceland University and her Masters of Science in Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Missouri.

Katie Burt will begin her duties as director of LSR7’s new pre-K program starting on June 22, 2024 for the 2024-25 school year.

Burt has spent 22 years in education, all in the Center School District. For the last 15 years, she served as a classroom teacher in Center School District’s Yellowjacket Early Learning Center. Prior to that, Burt was a Kindergarten and first grade teacher at Boone Elementary.

Burt earned her Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Missouri. She earned her Masters in Education Administration from William Woods University.