Chris Belcher, the new superintendent

By JAKOB BERR/Missourian
February 28, 2009 | 12:00 p.m. CST
The Columbia Board of Education chose Chris Belcher, currently superintendent of the Kearney R-1 School District, as the new superintendent for Columbia Public Schools starting in July. Belcher, who was born and raised in Kearney and is deeply rooted in the community, said that he will miss “how easy it feels in Kearney," but he wants to find a way to socialize with teachers and students in Columbia, even if it’s just 20 minutes a day.