For Dr. Will Darter, leadership has always been about serving others. As superintendent of the Everton R-III School District in southwest Missouri, he works closely with educators, families and community members to support students and strengthen rural education.
That commitment recently earned Darter the Outstanding Rural Administrator award from the Missouri Association of Rural Education (MARE). Though Darter is honored by the recognition, he sees it as a reflection of the people and community working alongside him every day.
“When I shared the news with our staff, I told them this recognition reflects the incredible work happening across our district every day,” Darter said. “I am blessed to work alongside people who care deeply about our students and families.”
A Missouri State Connection
Darter’s connection to Missouri State University began while he was working in the Nixa School District. Through an on-campus leadership cohort, he had the opportunity to experience the university’s leadership program firsthand. The program’s commitment to preparing servant leaders made an impression on him, and after meeting some faculty members like Drs. Turner, Finch, and Quinn, he knew Missouri State was where he wanted to continue his education.
One experience with Dr. Turner, in particular, has stayed with him throughout his career. Early in his leadership journey, Darter mistakenly missed a meeting with Turner and felt terrible about it, but rather than making him feel worse, he remembers how Turner responded with compassion.
“He showed me tremendous grace and kindness,” Darter said. “His response taught me a lesson about leadership that I carry with me today. The way we treat people when they fall short matters.”
That experience became an important example of the kind of leader Darter wanted to be. Missouri State helped him develop the skills needed for school leadership, but just as importantly, it showed him what leading with compassion looks like.
“The program prepared me for the responsibilities of school leadership, and the people teaching us modeled what serving others looks like,” Darter said.
Today, he tries to carry those same lessons into his work as a superintendent, balancing accountability with the understanding that people need room to learn and grow.
Making a Difference in Rural Education
As superintendent of Everton R-III, Darter works to create opportunities for students while supporting the educators who make those opportunities possible. He also remains active in several professional organizations, including MARE, the Missouri Association of School Administrators and the American Association of School Administrators. Through writing, public speaking, and his Rural Education Leaders Podcast, he continues to advocate for rural schools beyond his own district.
He recently published his first book, “The Empowered Rural Education Leader: A Narrative Framework for America’s Small Schools and Why They Matter Everywhere”, which explores the importance of rural schools and the people who lead and serve them.
For Darter, one of the most meaningful parts of rural education is the relationships built between schools and their communities. In smaller communities, schools often become more than places of learning. They serve as gathering places and sources of identity and pride, connecting generations of families.
That close connection also creates opportunities to make a lasting difference, however rural schools face challenges of their own. Recruiting and retaining educators, managing limited resources and providing students with a wide range of learning opportunities can be difficult.
At Everton, Darter and his team are working to address some of those challenges through initiatives like Diploma Plus, which connects students with college credit, industry credentials and apprenticeship opportunities.
“Our students deserve options, and partnerships help us expand what is possible,” Darter said.
Looking Ahead
As he looks toward the future, Darter is excited about continuing to expand opportunities for students and helping educators grow into leadership roles. At Everton, that means strengthening instruction, developing career pathways and continuing to build on the trust the community has placed in its schools.
He is also looking forward to continued collaboration with Missouri State to make leadership development more accessible to rural educators. Darter believes investing in teachers and school leaders can have an impact that reaches far beyond one individual. Supporting an educator today can ultimately make a difference for countless students in the years ahead.
“Supporting one teacher or school leader can make a difference for many students over time,” Darter said. “I feel blessed to be part of that work, and there is still so much good we can do together!”
For Darter, the Outstanding Rural Administrator award is a meaningful recognition of the work happening in Everton and throughout rural education. It also reflects the lessons he continues to carry from his time at Missouri State: lead with purpose, serve others and never underestimate the difference a little grace can make.
