There will be several staff changes taking place in the Science department for the 2014-2015 school year, the most notable being the departure of Joe Bartin, the space and planetary science teacher and department chair at KHS. Phillip Deist, a chemistry teacher at KHS, will be taking over the position next year.

Bartin will be leaving to take on a role in a district level job. Bartin has been teaching for 16 years, according to Lisa Autry, chemistry teacher, and was an engineer before he decided to teach.

“We’ve got really good teachers doing really good things in their classrooms, but they’re not connected,” Bartin said. He hopes to standardize curriculums throughout the school district

so that science teachers will know what their students have already been taught, and what they need to learn. His official position will be called curriculum facilitator.

“It’s very bittersweet because he’s moving on to something new,” Autry said. “So we’re sad to see him go but we’re happy for him.”

Dr. Autry has been teaching for 26 years, and has also taught at Riverview High School and Washington University.

In addition to Bartin leaving, there will be two new science teachers signing on for next year.

Melissa Ray will be replacing Mr. Bartin in teaching space and planetary science, and will also be teaching physics. Monica Tritz will be teaching biology due to increased enrollment in classes.

“[Mr. Bartin leaving] is going to be a big hole to fill.” Autry said. Bartin will be able to do more for the district and for KHS in his new position. Still, many of the science teachers find this transition to be bittersweet.