Jason Wedgbury

Jason Wedgbury has been named principal of Webster City High School, it was announced Tuesday.

Wedgbury begins the job on July 1. He replaces retiring principal Richard Hutchinson.

Wedgbury comes to Webster City from the Cedar Falls school district where, for the past 11 years, he has been principal of Cedar Falls High School, according to a media release from the Webster City Community School District.

“During his tenure, he led numerous transformational efforts, including the successful design and opening of a new state-of-the-art high school facility, implementation of standards-based grading, and the development of innovative programs such as the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS),” the Webster City school district stated in the media release.

“His leadership consistently emphasized instructional excellence, and expanding access to rigorous academic opportunities.

“Wedgbury is widely respected for his collaborative leadership style, strategic vision, and deep commitment to doing what’s best for students. He is known for building high-functioning teams, supporting professional learning communities (PLCs), and fostering strong community partnerships.”

Wedgbury said, “Webster City High School is a great fit for me due to its commitment to equity, strong community values, and focus on student success. I bring a collaborative, data-driven approach to decision-making and a strong commitment to building staff capacity and fostering long-term community partnerships.

“I see Webster City as a place where I can make a lasting impact and grow alongside a committed team.”

Wedgbury resigned from his Cedar Falls position in early May, according to a report by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.

In late May, the WCCSD Board accepted the resignation of Chris Aggen, the incoming high school principal who was supposed to begin his contract here on July 1. Aggen was coming from Perry School District; his hiring here was announced in January.

His resignation left the WCCSD board to pursue a new search to fill the position.

At the time, Webster City Schools Superintendent Matt Berninghaus released the following statement regarding the situation:

“In January, we announced the hiring of Chris Aggen as our next high school principal, set to begin in the 2025-26 school year. Since that time, Mr. Aggen has continued to pursue other administrative positions, recently accepting an interview for a high school principal role with another district.

“This development resulted in a fair amount of uncertainty as to whether Mr. Aggen was committed to serving as principal of Webster City High School. As such, we looked to prioritize what is best for our school community’s long-term success.

“The School Board has accepted Mr. Aggen’s resignation. Our attention is now on identifying our next principal for WCHS. I am confident we will find a candidate who is excited to grow with our community and contribute meaningfully to our continued progress.”