Gentry Middle School principal leaving after school year

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools will soon start the search for a new middle school principal.

District spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said Fairouz Bishara announced to staff and parents at 3 p.m. Friday that she will be leaving Gentry Middle School.

Baumstark said Bishara will finish the current school year with CPS, but has accepted a position in another school district out-of-state for next year.

"We look forward to finishing the 2019-20 school year and will begin the Human Resources hiring process soon," Baumstark said.

Waukee Community School District in Iowa tweeted Friday that the board of education is set to appoint Bishara as the principal at Waukee Northwest High School.

Bishari started as the principal at Gentry Middle School for the 2017-18 school year. She replaced Jeffrey Beiswinger after he retired.

Before coming to Columbia, she previously served as the associate principal at East High School with Lincoln Public Schools in Lincoln, Nebraska.