By Mark Coddington
mark.coddington@theindependent.com

CENTRAL CITY Jeff West, Central City public schools' superintendent, will resign this summer to become an administrator in his hometown of Scottsbluff.

The Central City school board unanimously accepted West's resignation Monday night after West made the announcement to the district's staff late last week.

West will become the administrator of Educational Service Unit 13, which oversees 15,000 students in 21 school districts in Nebraska's Panhandle.

West said he'll be going from running a school district to overseeing an entire region. He'll also be moving back to the area where he and his wife, Laura, grew up, and where several of their family members still live.

"It was a job that I've had my eye on for several years," he said.

West had also been a finalist for superintendent positions in Norfolk, Kearney and North Platte over the past two years, though he said he was asked to apply for each of those jobs.

School board President Dale Palser said West's departure wasn't a surprise, but the board will miss his leadership of the district.

"I think Dr. West has done a real fine job at Central City public schools," Palser said. "I think he'll be missed."

Palser extolled West's expertise in helping initiate such programs as all-day kindergarten, a preschool co-op with the local Head Start and a teacher mentoring program.

West said he was proudest of the district's increases in test scores over the past five years, despite an increase in low-income and special-needs students.

"I think that's the direct effect of the dedicated staff we have," he said. "These teachers are the best I've ever been around."

West came to Central City in 2002 after a stint as superintendent at Chappell public schools in the Panhandle. His contract expires June 30.

Palser said the board talked with its search firm, the Nebraska Association of School Boards, Monday night. The firm will soon send surveys to school board members to determine their desired qualities in a successor.

"It's getting kind of late, so we need to get going on it now," Palser said.

West and Palser said maintaining strong finances would be a top priority for the district in the future. They also mentioned the construction of a new $4 million performing arts center, should the bond issue for that project be approved in the May 13 primary election.

West described his time at Central City as "a great experience," crediting the community, staff and school board for their support of the district.

"I've been really fortunate to have six members on the board who put students' best interests first," he said. "They've been very easy to work with and have been very supportive of me."