May 28, 2022

The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Board of Education approved the employment of three new school administrators at the Board’s May 19 meeting.

Leslie Mott will begin as Pleasant Lea Elementary’s new principal on July 22, 2022. Mott is currently an elementary principal in the Raytown C-2 School District, and will begin her tenure as principal on July 22, 2022.

Mott has worked in education for 27 years, and previously worked in the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District as assistant principal from 2018-2021.

In addition to her work in the Lee’s Summit and Raytown School Districts, Mott has worked in the Hickman Mills C-1 School District, Oskaloosa County Schools and the Kansas City Public Schools. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from University of Missouri – Kansas City, a master’s degree in Elementary Education specializing in reading and literacy from Walden University and an Educational Specialist degree in School Administration from the University of Central Missouri.

Melissa Hunter will begin as Hawthorn Hill Elementary’s new principal on July 22, 2022. Hunter is currently the assistant principal at Cedar Creek and Hawthorn Hill Elementaries and will step into her new role as principal at Hawthorn Hill on July 22, 2022.

Hunter has worked in education for 22 years all at the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. She began as a teacher at Trailridge Elementary and has worked as an assistant principal at Cedar Creek Elementary, Hawthorn Hill Elementary and Summit Pointe Elementary.

Hunter earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from University of Missouri – Columbia, a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Missouri – Columbia’s Fellowship Program and earned an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Administration from the University of Central Missouri.

Dr. Jesi Cygan will begin as Director of Student Support on July 1, 2022. Cygan is currently a principal in the Lone Jack School District and will step into her new administrative role July 1, 2022.

Cygan has worked in education for 15 years. Prior to her time in the Lone Jack School District, she worked in the Center School District, the Blue Springs School District, the Independence School District and the North Kansas City School District.

Cygan earned her bachelor’s degree in Education and master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Central Missouri. She earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership and a specialization in Educational Leadership from St. Louis University.