KSD School Board Selects Superintendent

The Kearney School District Board of Education has selected Emily Miller, Ed.D., to be the district’s next Superintendent.

Dr. Emily Miller will officially start as KSD’s superintendent on July 1, 2022

The Board members approved unanimously Dr. Miller’s contract during their regular business meeting this evening at the KSD Administrative Offices.

Dr. Miller possesses an impressive and extensive set of skills and experiences in public education leadership. She is uniquely qualified to address the challenges and pursue the opportunities in KSD, according to Board President Mark Kelly.

“It was very obvious to all of us on the Board that Dr. Miller was the best choice to lead our school system,” Mr. Kelly said. “We are excited to have her as a member of Team Bulldogs and looking forward to a new era of growth and success.”

Dr. Miller is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Operational Services for Lee’s Summit R-7 School District (LSR7), a position she first started in 2018. She was the Interim Superintendent for the 2019-2020 academic year. Previously, Dr. Miller was LSR7’s Assistant Superintendent of Special Services for six years, following terms as Director of Special Education at Santa Ynez Valley Special Education Consortium and Harrisonville Cass R-IX School District. She started her career in education as a special education teacher at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia.

Dr. Miller earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from George Mason University, a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development from George Washington University, and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership at Saint Louis University.

Among Dr. Miller’s many professional achievements, she led a 2020 initiative that successfully garnered 82 percent voter approval for a $224 million no-tax-increase bond referendum in LSR7 and oversaw complex boundary changes as the district added a fourth middle school. That experience will prove invaluable as KSD prepares to ask voters to approve a $44 million no-tax-increase bond on April 5, 2022, in order to build a fifth elementary building and make facility improvements in all of the district’s schools.

“There is already a lot to celebrate in Kearney School District and the future is very bright,” Dr. Miller said. “KSD has a great team, successful schools and remarkable students in a wonderful community. I’m ready to help guide the Bulldogs for many years to come as we innovate and evolve on behalf of our scholars and families.”

The KSD school board conducted a thorough and efficient search for the district’s new leader with the assistance of EGL Association at no charge. That search included gathering input from staff, parents/guardians and community members about the experiences and characteristics they would like the future superintendent to have. The board members opted to interview seven highly qualified candidates for the superintendent position.

Dr. Miller will officially start as KSD’s superintendent on July 1, 2022. The board and Interim Superintendent Todd White will coordinate with Dr. Miller over the next six months as they plan her entry to the district and ensure a smooth transition.

KPGZ News - Jim Dickerson contributed to this story