Team Bulldogs is preparing to welcome Zach McMains, Ed.D., as the new Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.

The Kearney School District Board of Education approved Interim Superintendent Todd White’s selection of Dr. McMains on April 13. His new duties will begin on July 1.

*Zach McMains, Ed.D. - Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources*

McMains joins KSD with considerable experience in virtually every facet of public education. He has been the Assistant Superintendent of Chillicothe R-II School District since 2018. That position includes responsibility for student transportation, federal programs, child nutrition services, facilities and maintenance, school leadership development and strategic improvement, among other things.

“Dr. McMains is going to be a great addition to our leadership team at Kearney School District,” Dr. White said. “He has the right combination of experience and skill to provide the support our staff needs and to recruit the high-quality public educators that our community expects.”

Being in a position to lead the HR department at KSD was too good of an opportunity for McMains to pass up. After four years of honing his district leadership skills in Chillicothe, this was the right move at the right time.

“I am both humbled and honored to be joining Kearney School District,” he said. “This is a proud district with a noteworthy tradition of educational excellence. I'm truly grateful and excited to join the Bulldog family.”

McMains earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology Education in 2000 from Missouri State University, where he also earned a Master of Science in Reading Education. In 2017, he completed the Doctor of Education program in Educational Leadership from Saint Louis University.

After a year teaching industrial technology at Parkview High School in Springfield and four years as a remedial reading instructor at Maple Park Middle School in North Kansas City Schools, McMains moved into his first administrative post in 2007 as a Principal and Athletic Director at North Nodaway R-IV Schools. He then served as principal for schools in Plattsburg and Moberly before taking his current position in Chillicothe.

The Assistant Superintendent of HR position was created after longtime KSD Assistant Superintendent of HR and Student Services Jeff Morrison and Facilities Manager Doug Sublett both decided to retire at the end of the school year. Incoming Superintendent Emily Miller decided to restructure her leadership team with the new HR position and a Director of Operations job.

“Our school system has grown to a point where this new leadership structure just makes sense,” Dr. Miller said. “This move will ensure that we are effectively and efficiently addressing our staffing and operational needs. I’m looking forward to working with Dr. McMains to meet and exceed our strategic goals.”

McMains indicated that he will prioritize getting to know KSD and identifying areas of need.

“I look forward to moving into the district and becoming an active member of the community, building relationships, and developing partnerships that will continue to support outstanding opportunities for students and staff,” he said. “I plan to spend a great deal of time listening and learning, and I am ready to get to work on making a difference in the lives of all students, families, and staff in Kearney.”

Current Kearney Middle School Principal Erek Noland has been selected to fill the new Director of Operations position. He will oversee maintenance, grounds, custodial, transportation, safety and security, and child nutritional services.

Mr. Noland joined KSD about 15 years ago as a social studies teacher. He served for five years as an assistant principal at Kearney High School before joining the administration at KMS.

Noland is looking forward to applying the skills gleaned from his school leadership experience at the district level. His priorities will include helping KSD grow along with the community.

“Although I will really miss the daily interaction with the kids and staff at KMS, I am excited to transition into this new position,” Noland said. “I feel like the Director of Operations job is a great fit for me in that it will revolve around a lot of the areas I've been involved with at a building level during my time in administration at KMS and KHS.”

Two other new leadership positions are also being filled in KSD:

Jason Henry is being promoted to the Maintenance Supervisor job
Drew Switzer was selected for the new Grounds Supervisor position

Mr. Henry has been part of KSD’s Facilities and Maintenance team since 2018. He will be coordinating staff, parts ordering, and overseeing certain aspects of new construction and remodeling projects.

“I’m looking forward to always focusing on how we can improve the learning environment for our students,” Henry said. “My main goals are to establish open communication, find ways for the department to be more efficient and effective, and make sure this is a productive and enjoyable workplace.”

Mr. Switzer has nearly five years of experience with KSD’s Facilities and Maintenance crew. He will focus on maintaining and improving the campus landscape across the district.

“One of my primary goals is to ensure that our grounds are in uniformly outstanding condition across all our campuses and facilities,” Switzer said. “I will also be planning upgrades to our existing facilities while keeping costs under control.”

KPGZ News - Ray Weikal of the Kearney School District contributed to this story