By Derrick ForsytheRecord Staff WriterJennifer Hecktor will take over as the new assistant superintendent of the Wright City R-II School District on July 1.Hecktor will fill the position vacated by David Buck, who was promoted to superintendent after the departure of Chris Gaines. Her hiring was approved during the monthly board meeting May 21.She was chosen from a pool of 19 applicants, which included teachers, principals and standing assistant superintendents from throughout the state.“We narrowed that list down to five and once we had interviewed those, we knew she was a clear No. 1,” said Buck. “She was head and shoulder the best candidate we had.”Hecktor is coming from the Fort Zumwalt School District, where she served as principal at West Middle School last year.Prior to that, she was an assistant principal at the elementary level and taught language arts in both middle school and high school. She also has experience as a special education teacher.“Her experience working at all levels has been exemplary, and she brings a wealth of knowledge to the district,” said Buck. “She’s a very sharp lady.”Hecktor says Wright City’s recent exceptional performance in raising its test scores was a big factor in seeking the job.“Wright City has proven itself, exploding with academic success in the last five years, which is something I’m very excited about,” she said. “I like that Wright City really invests in its teachers as far as their professional development and growth.”Hecktor feels her experience at all three levels of the primary and secondary education system will be beneficial in her new position.“I feel like I have a good understanding of child development from the youngest ages all the way through 12th grade,” she said.Hecktor is eager to join a smaller district, where she feels one administrator can have more influence.“I’m excited about joining a close-knit community, and I think you can do a lot more in that size of a district,” she said. “I also admire Dr. Buck’s professionalism and knowledge and look forward to partnering with him to lead the district.”Hecktor is originally from St. Charles and is a graduate of Francis Howell. She earned her undergraduate degree at Lindenwood University, before getting her master’s and specialist degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri Baptist, respectively.She will begin working toward her doctorate in the fall.Hecktor resides in O’Fallon with her husband, two daughters and one son.Jennifer Hecktor