[00:00:04] **Announcer:**
It’s time to get in the loop with LPS, the official podcast of Liberty Public Schools…

[00:00:26] **Announcer:**
Let’s send you to longtime Director of Communications and your host, Dallas Ackerman.

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## **INTRODUCTION**

[00:00:36] **Dallas:**
We are back for another edition of *In the Loop with LPS*. I’m Dallas Ackerman, Director of Communications, and this is our **third episode** of the series. Today we are joined by **Dr. Sarah Marriott**, our **new Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources** at Liberty Public Schools.

Welcome to Liberty Public Schools!

[00:01:20] **Dr. Sarah Marriott:**
Thank you! Thanks for having me — and wow, this is quite the studio.

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## **FIRST IMPRESSIONS & STARTING A NEW ROLE**

[00:01:23] **Dallas:**
It’s been a whirlwind, I’m sure. You officially arrived in July. How has the transition been?

[00:01:43] **Marriott:**
It’s been wonderful. Yes, there’s a learning curve — new responsibilities, so many people to meet, learning the systems Liberty uses. In administrative work, you don’t get a slow start; it’s “go” from day one. But it’s been terrific.

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## **HER BACKGROUND: FROM BOONVILLE TO LIBERTY**

[00:02:24] **Dallas:**
Let’s talk about where you came from. You were superintendent in Boonville, right?

[00:02:46] **Marriott:**
Yes. I was in Boonville for **eight years**, five of those as superintendent — and it was actually my **hometown**. I went to school there K–12, graduated, then moved away for college.

My first job was in **Lathrop, Missouri**, because I wanted to get into the Kansas City region. Then I married my husband, Colin, who was also from Boonville, and moved back so we could be close to his daughter.

I stepped out of education briefly to work in **nonprofit**, loved that, but gradually returned to schools. Eventually I pursued special education director certification, then principalship, then assistant superintendent, and ultimately superintendent of Boonville.

Being superintendent in your hometown is… interesting. I could write a book about it.

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## **SMALL-TOWN SUPERINTENDENT LIFE**

[00:04:19] **Dallas:**
Any memorable stories?

[00:04:27] **Marriott:**
In a small town, everyone knows everyone — and everything. When you also run the school district, it’s magnified. I eventually refused to go to Walmart or the grocery store because a “quick” trip could last hours.

And people usually weren’t stopping you to say something wonderful — they had concerns they wanted addressed *right now*.

But it was still a wonderful experience that taught me so much.

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## **HER FAMILY**

[00:05:52] **Dallas:**
Tell us about your family.

[00:06:11] **Marriott:**
My husband, Colin, and I have been married **22 years** (this December). We knew each other as kids, reconnected later in life, had a three-month whirlwind romance, and got married.

We have one son, **Isaac**, who is 18 and just started college at Columbia College. So:

* New jobs
* New house
* Empty nest

We decided to just rip the Band-Aid off all at once!

[00:07:23] **Dallas:**
How was dropping him off at college?

[00:07:23] **Marriott:**
Better than expected! I thought I would be a disaster — I warned everyone for years. But Isaac stayed in Boonville to work over the summer, which prepared us. When we dropped him off, it felt like camp.

Not as far as L.A., though — I don’t think I could have handled that!

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## **WHY LEAVE A HOMETOWN SUPERINTENDENCY?**

[00:08:56] **Dallas:**
Many people would stay in their hometown superintendent job forever. What made you decide to move?

[00:09:17] **Marriott:**
Boonville is considered mid-sized in Missouri, but the superintendent wears many hats: HR, operations, finance, facilities — everything.

I wanted to be able to **go deeper** into a specialty area and do truly meaningful work in that lane.

Liberty was actually one of the *only* districts I kept an eye on. When this HR job opened, my husband said, “It’s now or never.” And it all fell into place.

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## **WHAT PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT SUPERINTENDENTS**

[00:11:00] **Dallas:**
What do people not know about being a superintendent?

[00:11:27] **Marriott:**
The pressure of calling a **snow day** — unbelievable!

Isaac would text me all day because his friends were on him: “Are we getting out?”

And no matter what you choose, someone is unhappy.

But beyond that, being superintendent allows you to shape a system for every student. It’s a privilege — but a heavy one.

The most important message?
**“I’m human. I will make mistakes. Please show grace.”**
Everyone has gone to school, so everyone has opinions about how schools should run. Some are helpful… some less so.

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## **FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF LIBERTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS**

[00:13:29] **Dallas:**
What are your early impressions of Liberty?

[00:13:29] **Marriott:**
Wonderful — truly.

Everyone is so **good at their job**. In a district this size, people are deeply specialized, which is different from a smaller system where one person handles many roles.

And everyone is **kind**. So welcoming. It’s refreshing to feel so supported from day one.

[00:14:47]
My husband even noticed: I come home **happy**. That’s a big deal. Dr. Tucker models and reinforces **self-care**, and it’s embedded everywhere. It creates a healthier culture.

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## **FUN QUESTIONS — “GET TO KNOW YOUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT”**

[00:17:24] **Dallas:**
Time for questions from the community! When you need R&R, where are you going?

[00:17:51] **Marriott:**
We’re figuring that out as empty nesters!
But we are huge **baseball fans** and have been visiting MLB ballparks with Isaac.

We’ve been to:

* St. Louis
* Kansas City
* Seattle
* Milwaukee
* Boston
* Cleveland
* Cincinnati
* Both Chicago parks
* Baltimore
* D.C.
* Atlanta
* Colorado

New York is next on the list. My husband becomes a kid again in any ballpark. It’s been so fun.

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## **WHO SHE CREDITS FOR HER SUCCESS**

[00:19:24] **Dallas:**
Who do you credit for your success?

[00:19:50] **Marriott:**
Three mentors:

* **Carol Mayer**
* **Mary Laffey**
* **Patty Corum**

All retired now, all brilliant. They coached me, encouraged me, and told me, “You HAVE to apply for the Liberty job.”

They believed in me before I believed in myself.

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## **BOONVILLE VS. LIBERTY**

[00:21:09] **Dallas:**
Biggest difference between Boonville and Liberty?

[00:21:09] **Marriott:**
Everything in Liberty is close — 15 to 20 minutes and you’re anywhere.

And… no one knows me here yet, which means I can go to the grocery store safely!

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## **THE STATE OF HR & TEACHER RECRUITMENT**

[00:22:14] **Dallas:**
Teacher shortages have been a major topic. What’s your early assessment of HR in Liberty?

[00:23:15] **Marriott:**
Liberty’s reputation for **excellence** and **innovation** has insulated it somewhat from shortages — but we must be proactive.

Statewide and nationally, fewer people are entering education than those leaving it. The applicant pool is shrinking.

We will need to recruit **creatively**, not doing what every other district is doing.

But Liberty is positioned well because:

* People WANT to work here
* We have strong leadership
* The culture is exceptional

Still, we cannot rely solely on reputation — we must innovate.

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## **HER HR TEAM**

[00:25:15] **Dallas:**
Your HR team has several new members. Tell us about them.

[00:25:31] **Marriott:**
Poor **Krystal Morgan** is trying to wrangle the three newbies!

Our HR team includes:

* **Krystal Morgan** – Executive Director
* **Tanika Brown** – new to HR but not new to LPS (formerly KidZone)
* **Leah Copeland** – 21 years in North Kansas City Schools

They are amazing — talented, fun, and bring diverse experiences. We are **not** your typical boring HR department!

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## **FINAL QUESTION: WHY SHOULD SOMEONE APPLY TO WORK IN LIBERTY?**

[00:27:24] **Dallas:**
Okay, HR leader: give us your pitch. Why should a teacher candidate or bus driver apply at LPS?

[00:27:27] **Marriott:**
We say we’re **student-centered**, but we’re more than that — we are **people-centered**.

If you want to work in a place where you are **seen**, **supported**, and **valued**, this is where you want to be.

We’re a big district, but we make sure you feel known. Our culture truly puts people first.

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## **CLOSING**

[00:28:11] **Dallas:**
You knocked it out of the park. We’re so glad you chose to come to Liberty. Looking forward to the years ahead.

[00:28:54] **Marriott:**
Thank you — honored to be here.

[00:29:14] **Announcer:**
Thanks for listening to *In the Loop with LPS*. Visit lps53.org to stay connected.