Moniteau DME

After more than 23 years of working for the Moniteau School District, Deanna Panza will assume a role as confidential administrative assistant to the superintendent. Board directors voted 5-3 in her favor at a meeting Monday, Sept. 25.

“As always, I am here to support the community and the students and to help them grow,” Panza said Tuesday.

She said she will assume her role sometime this fall.

Panza is the wife of school board president Michael Panza. When superintendent Aubrie Schnelle was asked to share her thoughts on a possible conflict of interest, she described Panza as an accomplished and qualified candidate with two decades of experience in the district.

Panza has worked as an interim confidential administrative assistant for the administrative office since January, Schnelle said, and has worked as a secretary at Dassa McKinney Elementary School for many years.

According to Schnelle, Panza was the only applicant for the position. The job was advertised in the Butler Eagle.

“I’m looking at qualifications,” Schnelle said. “I’m not looking at anything else.”

Panza said working for the district enabled her to benefit the community and students of Moniteau. Over the years, she has seen former students bring their own children to school, she said.

“Every community member I’m aware of has enjoyed my services and know they can rely on me,” Panza said.

Her husband abstained from voting at the Monday meeting. Michael Baptiste, Kathy McBride and Matthew Zietz voted against the hire. Baptiste declined to comment Tuesday.

Prior to the vote, the board met in an executive session that one board director described as “tense.” There was no public comment by the board before or after the vote.