Templeton Appointed to WGU Teachers College P-12 Advisory Council

ST. LOUIS — Western Governors University (WGU) has announced the appointment of Dr. Chris Templeton, Assistant Superintendent of  the Willard School District, to its Teachers College P-12 Advisory Council. She joins 10 other leaders in education from across the country on the council to provide guidance, in partnership with WGU administrators, on all P-12 academic programs offered by WGU’s nationally recognized Teachers College.

Templeton’s background in P-12 public education spans more than 25 years, serving as teacher at the elementary school level before taking on roles in administration. She has served as primary, elementary and middle school principal, as well as a central office administrator in varying capacities. Before being appointed as Assistant Superintendent of Willard Schools in 2017, she served as Professional Learning Coordinator for the newly formed Greater Ozarks Cooperating School Districts (GOCSD), a cooperative that has grown to include 59 school districts across Southwest Missouri, including Willard School District.

In her role as Assistant Superintendent, Templeton oversees curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional learning and school improvement for the district, which is comprised of eight schools serving more than 4,500 students. She is also responsible for principal evaluation, student discipline hearings and budget oversight for academic programs.

“We are honored to have Dr. Templeton join our national advisory council and assist us in our efforts to develop academic programs that fit the needs of both our students and primary and secondary schools across the country,” said Deb Eldridge, Academic Vice President of WGU’s Teachers College. “Her knowledge and expertise in primary and secondary education will be an asset as we continue our work preparing more licensed teachers than any other university in the nation”.

Templeton holds an Ed.D in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri and a Specialist in Educational Administration, a Master of Science in Educational Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Missouri State University. She serves on the GOCSD Board of Directors and as President Elect of Learning Forward Missouri.

WGU is a nonprofit, fully online university offering more than 60 degree programs in business, information technology, education, and health professions, including nursing. Designed to meet the needs of working adults, WGU pioneered competency-based education, which measures learning rather than time spent in class. This model allows students to study and learn on their own schedules with individualized, one-to-one faculty support. They complete courses as soon as they demonstrate that they have mastered the subject matter, enabling them to move quickly through material they already know and spend more time on what they still need to learn. As a result, many WGU students are able to accelerate their studies, saving both time and money.