Columbia Board of Education approves new chief academic officer, Benton STEM Elementary principal
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Board of Education on Monday night approved two people for leadership positions within the district, a Tuesday press release says.
Adam Taylor was picked as Columbia Public Schools’ chief academic officer for the 2025-26 school year, while Allison Chostner was chosen as Benton STEM Elementary School’s next principal, the release says.
Taylor is currently the executive director of secondary education and will replace Jeff Klein, who was recently announced the district’s next superintendent. The release says Taylor is a CPS graduate who has more than a decade of educational experience, including roles as athletic director, assistant principal and principal at Battle High School.
He also taught personal finance, business law and global business at Hickman High School for five years, the release says.
Chostner is currently the assistant principal at Benton STEM Elementary School and will replace Sarah Sicht, who is becoming the principal at Eagle Bluffs Elementary School, the release says.
Chostner has 17 years of experience in elementary education and has served as Benton STEM’s assistant principal since 2020, the release says. She has also served as an assistant principal at Bush Elementary School in Fulton. She began her career as a teacher at Parkade and Midway Heights elementary schools.