By Melissa Dunson

mdunson@joplinglobe.com

C.J. Huff walked into his first day of school Tuesday armed not with crayons and paper, but with a sense of flexibility and enthusiasm.

“The most overwhelming part was learning everybody’s names,” Huff said on the first day of his new job as superintendent of the Joplin R-8 School District.

Huff, 38, was superintendent of the Eldon R-1 School District for four years before accepting the Joplin job. He replaces Jim Simpson, who left the district after seven years to take the position of superintendent of the Lindbergh School District in suburban St. Louis County.

Huff said he spent part of his first day “getting used to” some of the people with whom he will be working on a daily basis, including the district’s assistant superintendents and his administrative assistant, Tiny Bridges.

Though he had met members of the Board of Education and administrative staff in June, Huff said his first day was an opportunity to learn more about the issues that are important to the district. He said he is ready to run with some of those issues, including completion of the promise to improve the district’s schools and boost the graduation rate.

“It’s time for me to pick up the ball and run with that,” Huff said.

Huff said the Eldon district was not organized on the neighborhood school concept, which is the case in Joplin. But, he said he has no doubt about his ability to get a handle on how Joplin’s schools operate.

“School is school,” he said.

A significant part of Huff’s first day involved orienting himself with the district’s geography. Doug Domer, an assistant superintendent, drove Huff to each of Joplin’s schools. Huff said he got to see children leaving on the last day of summer school, and that he looks forward to talking with students and parents when school starts in the fall.

Huff said he will be relying heavily on the experience and knowledge of his staff while he gets acquainted with the district.

He said that once he’s not as much of a “new kid on the block,” he hopes to bring his style of leadership to the district, focusing on reflective decision making followed by quick action.

“And we have to be flexible,” Huff said. “If I see a problem, we need to tackle it, but first let’s take in the lay of the land and understand the different perspectives.”

Huff and his family have moved to Joplin and are settling into their new house. He said his children, Savannah, a third-grader, and Keaton, a kindergartner, are already getting involved in the community with gymnastics and dance classes.