Letter to the Editor: High school principal explains about degree

Dear Editor:
This is an open letter to the Meeker community:
First, I feel I must share my thanks for the welcome and support my family and I received since we arrived in Meeker. We have fallen in love with the area and the people. I was astounded by the help offered to us to find a home, move in and get to work. The past seven months have flown by. Thank you, Meeker, for such a warm welcome.
Secondly, I would like to take a moment and clear the air and would like the opportunity to share with you, as I did with the Meeker Schools Superintendent, Board of Education and several staff members. These folks knew this information as I was being hired and settling in to support our students and community.
I was under the impression that I was allowed to use the term “doctor” after my final defense of dissertation in April 2013. The dissertation committee welcomed me upon passage of my final defense as “Congratulations, Dr. Ibach!” so I believed this was acceptable.
I recently had a few conversations with Pepperdine University officials, including the dean of the college of education and psychology, the head of my program and the chair of my committee and have since learned that calling me “Dr. Ibach” or my use of the title was “a most unfortunate misunderstanding.”
Since then, I have removed the title from the few places I used it and will wait for completion of my program to post. So you know, to complete the program, all I have left to do is receive approval regarding appropriate use of APA style, which is how the paper is formatted so that it may be published. That approval can come this week or in the next four weeks.
The superintendent, school board, staff and almost a dozen parents of MHS students are aware of my progress. Since the day I interviewed, I have kept my employer abreast of my progress.
There are those who feel I have misrepresented myself. I have trouble with this as I have always been very open about my graduate studies and have nothing to gain otherwise.
There was never a requirement of holding a doctorate to apply or accept the position of principal at MHS. Not that I have ever seen a salary schedule, my rate of pay is not tied to having a doctorate.
After the Meeker School Board unanimously approved of my hire, the superintendent let me know what Meeker could afford and I accepted in regards to salary.
Regarding my work output and expertise, I hope the community has begun to see positive change as result of work contributed to Meeker High School and the greater Meeker School District, regardless. I feel this is true since the past few weeks folks have stopped me in the grocery store, post office and followed me into my driveway to thank me and ask me to hang in there.
Students, other than my own children, use my office as an extension of their own living space. We celebrate success and problem-solve through challenges. A large majority of the staff members have individually come to me with support in light of this misfortunate “misunderstanding.”
The most positive aspect these staff members share is the point of wanting to focus on the academic growth and achievement of our students. I happen to agree.
If you know me, titles are more of a formality and not something I live by or enforce. Most students call me by many names, including Ms. Ibach, Principal Ibach and Momma I. The last one is my favorite! You can call me what you wish as there are still quite a few people who want to call me “Dr. Ibach” as that is how they think of me and nothing else seems right to them.
Final item: As I moved my family into Meeker, the townspeople who approached me spoke of wanting Meeker High to be like it was in the golden days — the best! I agree. Settling for only one-third of our students being proficient in Algebra I is not in my language. Continuing a flatlined, 5-year ACT average around 18 or 19 points when other similar schools are reaching averages of 24 and 26 is not OK in my book.
My full intention is to support staff and serve our young adults so they may reach their highest potential. Our kids are not only competing with other children from Colorado or these United States, they are competing against millions of young students across the globe.
So I have one request of you, if I may. If you wish to speak further of this or any other MHS issue, I encourage you to give me a call. If you prefer to meet at the high school or the coffee shop (during non-school hours), I will oblige. My door is open, but by the end of the conversation, I hope we are focused on helping Meeker High School to be the best, most sought-out high school in the state.
Again, many thanks for the
support and care for our kids
Kim Ibach
Principal
Meeker High School
Meeker