Superintendent Dennis Phelps started at the Keota School District on July 1st, and on his first full day of work, he had to deal with a fire to the roof of the junior high school gymnasium. In addition to that, he was tasked with helping the school find a new elementary school principal in a short time frame. In the midst of the hectic beginning, however, Phelps says his time spent with the school has rejuvenated his passion. He feels it’s been a welcoming beginning, with students, staff, and community members going out of their way to introduce themselves. He added there’s a great passion in Keota, and the community loves their school. He believes it’s everyone’s job to learn to communicate and work together, so they can continue to move the district forward and keep it growing. Overall, he feels the school district has been a great fit for him, and he looks forward to continuing to grow along with the administration, staff, teachers, students, and school board.