Heather Oentrich, who has been serving as principal at Fort Riley Middle School. has been named the new Junction City Middle School Principal. The Executive Director of Personnel Services for USD 475, Mona Manley, said Oentrich will begin her work at City Middle School on July 1.
Oentrich received her Bachelor’s Degree from Kansas State University in Education (2002) and her Master’s Degree from KSU in Educational Leadership (2007). She began her career in 2002 as an 8th Grade Science Teacher at Fort Riley Middle School, and then moved to teach 7th Grade Science at Lakewood Middle School in Salina from 2008-2009. Oentrich returned to USD 475 to teach 7th Grade Science at Fort Riley Middle School from 2009-2011, and was then named the Assistant Principal at FRMS in 2011. She held that position until she was named the Fort Riley Middle School Principal in 2015.
Oentrich was a Member of the USD #475 Professional Leadership Academy (PELA) from 2005-2007. She has presented at many local, regional and national conferences, and is a member of a variety of district level committees and task forces. She is a resident of Junction City, her husband Brad is a contractor, and they have three children, Ava, Grady, and Eliot who attend Geary County Schools.
Heather shared that she is “so excited to work with the students, staff and families of JCMS!”
Oentrich will succeed Mary Wright in the principal’s position at Junction City Middle School. The USD 475 Board of Education this week approved a motion to have Wright reassigned, but left it up to the school district administration to determine where Wright will be reassigned.
USD 475 will advertise the vacancy in the principal’s position at Fort Riley Middle School.