Princeton Names Guilkey Elementary Principal

Current Mercer Principal Will Take Elementary Post

The Princeton R-5 Board of Education held a special meeting on Thursday where it reached an agreement in terms and conditions for a new elementary school principal.
Wes Guilkey, the current K-12 principal at Mercer, agreed to a two-year contract with the Princeton district.
Guilkey will begin his duties officially on Aug. 1.
“I feel very blessed to be chosen as the leader for the Princeton R-5 elementary school,” Guilkey said. “My passion is working with elementary students and teachers and creating an environment where both students and teachers flourish. I look forward to building relationships with the students and staff of Princeton elementary and continuing to build on the success that the school has had thus far.”
Guilkey received his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Central Missouri in 2007. He received his Master of Education in School Leadership from Dordt College in 2016 and received his Education Specialist from Northwest Missouri State University in 2021.
He began his teaching career in the Tina-Avalon School District where he taught first grade for three years before moving to Mercer. He originally served as an upper elementary English-language arts instructor for two years before taking on the principal position — which he has occupied for the past five years. He has served on the Princeton High School football staff for the past several seasons through the school’s cooperative agreement with Mercer.
Guilkey emerged as the top choice and candidate for the district after his interview last week. Princeton interviewed four finalists from the application pool for the position and approved Guilkey by a 5-2 vote. His contract terms were approved by a 7-0 vote for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years with a base salary of $68,000.
Guilkey, his wife Lauren, and three children live near Ravanna.
The Princeton elementary principal position became vacant due to the retirement of current Principal Dana Seymour. Mrs. Seymour is retiring after 30 years in education. She accepted the position of junior high-high school principal at Princeton in 2013 before moving to her current position as elementary principal the following year.
“I have been blessed to have worked with so many amazing teachers and students during my career in education and will truly miss the students and staff at Princeton R-5,” Mrs. Seymour said.