School District Appoints Interim Superintendent
/The Kearney School District Board of Education has appointed Dr. Todd White as Interim Superintendent. The appointment was approved during the Board’s business meeting last night, July 21, 2021.
Dr. Todd White - KSD Interim Superintendent
Dr. White will start as the Interim Superintendent on Monday, August 2. His top priority is to ensure that each student gets the world-class educational experiences they need and deserve when classes begin on August 24 for the new school year. He was a natural choice for the position, according to Board of Education President Mark Kelly.
“Stability and leadership are critical as we focus on meeting the needs of students, families and staff members,” Mr. Kelly said. “Dr. White has a long and distinguished history as a leader in public education in the Kansas City region. We are excited to have his experience at Kearney School District.”
Dr. White earned his bachelor’s degree from William Jewell College, followed by a master’s degree from the University of Central Missouri and an Ed.D. from the University of Missouri. He began his career in public education as a teacher and coach at Lebanon High School in 1985. He served as superintendent for seven years in Harrisonville Cass R-IX School District, six years in North Kansas City Schools and four years in Blue Valley Schools.
At Harrisonville, he led the district from a “financially stressed” position to having a 35 percent fund balance while providing staff salary and benefit increases every year. Dr. White led steady academic achievement gains, record-setting graduation rates and a 200 percent increase in the number of students participating in STEM programs while at NKCS.
Dr. White commented that because of talented students, engaged families, top-flight teachers and support staff, and dedicated leadership, the school district has a bright future. He also said that the district will continue to use its strategic plan to drive progress and improvement.
“I’m excited to join the Bulldog family and help Kearney School District achieve its goals in the 2021-2022 academic year,” he said. “This is a great team and a great community. We’ve got the right game plan and we’re going to keep moving the ball forward and making gains.”
With Dr. White’s appointment, the Board of Education will turn its attention to identifying, vetting and selecting a candidate for the permanent superintendent position. This process will be done in collaboration with district staff members, students, families and community members. More information will be provided as it is finalized.
KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story
