Colleagues remember Carthage assistant high school principal
Sep. 27—CARTHAGE, Mo. — Sam Rogers, an assistant principal at Carthage High School and longtime administrator and coach in the region, died Saturday at the age of 50 after a battle with cancer.
The Carthage School District announced Rogers' death over the weekend. District counselors were available at the school Monday to aid grieving students and staff.
"When I leave this earth because of cancer or simply with cancer, I want to know I have made an impact," Rogers wrote on his online blog in October 2021.
Rogers is survived by his wife, Allison, a librarian at Royal Heights Elementary School in Joplin, and their two children, Benjamin and Emerson, who both attend Carthage High School.
"Our prayers and condolences go out to Allison, their children, (his mother) Cindy, (his brother) Chris, and the extended family," Mark Baker, superintendent of Carthage schools, said in a statement. "This is truly a sad day for our area's education community. Sam was the ultimate educator who truly wanted all kids to succeed."
For 21 years, Rogers served as an administrator and educator throughout Jasper County, including at schools in Carthage, Joplin and Webb City. He earned his bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1996 from the University of Missouri in Columbia, and his master's degree in educational administration in 2005 from William Woods University in Fulton.
He obtained his education specialist in administration-superintendent certification in 2010 from Missouri State University in Springfield and his doctorate in educational administration in 2014 from Lindenwood University in St. Charles.
His career in education started in 1996 as a science and math teacher in the Carthage School District, where he taught elementary, sixth grade and alternative high school students until 1999. He was also the head coach for swimming, eighth grade basketball and ninth grade volleyball.
"Dr. Rogers' infectious personality and passion for our school community was unparalleled," Angela Holman, Carthage High School principal, said in a statement. "Losing Dr. Rogers is a huge loss to the Carthage community. He was a true advocate for students, a genuine supporter of our faculty and staff, and a dear friend to so many. He'll be greatly missed."
At the Webb City School District, Rogers was a seventh grade teacher who taught physical, earth and life science from 2003 to 2006. While he wasn't teaching science, he was the head coach for tennis and soccer, as well as the assistant swimming coach for Webb City schools.
Rogers then went to the Joplin School District, where he was the assistant principal at Memorial Middle School from 2006 to 2009. He was the principal at Stapleton Elementary School in Joplin from 2009-2010.
Steve Gilbreth, who worked with Rogers during his time at Memorial Middle School, described him as an incredible educator who loved life and was passionate about helping students and teachers. The two shared many things in common, including their love of soccer and the band the Foo Fighters. Gilbreth said they had a lot of fun working together.
"While I was principal at Memorial Middle School, Sam was one of my assistants for several years," he said. "In that time I got to know Sam very well. Sam had a heart for kids, and he was such an instrumental guy in helping to shape the vision of what's best for kids. He was kind to everybody and loved life. He had a good time every day, and Sam never met a stranger."
Rogers spent over a decade of his educational career with the Carthage School District, where he attended school. Growing up in Carthage, he went to Mark Twain Elementary, Carthage Junior High and Carthage High School. He served as student council president from 1989 to 1990.
Rogers joined the Carthage Tigers staff as a ninth grade physical science teacher in 2011. By 2012, he began serving as the assistant principal of Carthage High School, a position he held until his death.
