Three Olathe high schools to have new principals next year

Changes in leadership are slated for three of the Olathe School District’s four high schools when classes begin next year. Olathe South High School Principal Phil Clark, Olathe Northwest High School Principal Gwen Poss and Olathe North High School Principal David Morford will all retire at the end of this school year.

The incoming principals for the 2016-17 school year will be Clint Albers at Olathe South, Chris Zuck at Olathe Northwest and Jason Herman at Olathe North.

Herman will replace Morford, who has been principal at Olathe North for the last four years. The physical transition will be an easy one for Herman, who is currently the athletic director and assistant principal at Olathe North. He’s held that position for the last seven years and has been at Olathe North for 17 years.

For Herman, stepping into the lead principal role is a chance to continue working with a trusted, hardworking group of people.

“I have a great administrative team and staff and great community support,” Herman said. “I am ready to take that next step, to take the building to the next level and to challenge our kids to be even better.”

Herman has a bachelor’s degree in education from Emporia State University and a master’s degree in school leadership from Baker University. He began his career as a social studies teacher and coach at Olathe North.

Herman said as principal, he will focus on making sure Olathe North continues to prepare students well for life after high school and will also make communication a top priority.

“I just want to make sure we are doing a good job with communication,” Herman said. “I want to have the ability to be open and for everyone to understand that we are all in it for the kids. We all want our kids to be successful.”

Clint Albers will also be making the transition from assistant principal and athletic director to principal when he takes the helm at Olathe South next year. Albers has been in his current role at Olathe South for two years. He replaces Clark, who has led Olathe South since 2003.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical science and a master’s degree in education administration, both from Fort Hays State University. He spent 11 years at Hays High School teaching chemistry and physics and later serving as assistant principal and athletic director.

Albers said he is thrilled to embark on his first principal job at a school with such a rich tradition of excellence.

“I am excited to be able to move into this role and to do it at Olathe South,” Albers said. “We have a great student body and staff. It is such a great school and there are so many great things in place already.”

Albers said he looks forward to working with parents and the community, whom he calls important partners in a student’s education.

“I think every decision that is made has to be made by asking what is best for our students,” Albers said. “If you use that as your guiding principle, you can make sure your staff and community will know these are the best decisions for the group as a whole.”

Chris Zuck will be begin his new position in a new school district next year when he takes over for Poss, who opened Olathe Northwest High School in 2003. Zuck is currently an associate principal at Shawnee Mission North High School, where he has worked for 14 years, first as a teacher and later as an administrator.

He said he is looking forward to immersing himself in his new school.

“My first step is to develop relationships with students, parents, teachers and the community,” Zuck said.

Zuck said in his new role he will focus on student achievement and effective communication. He said what he loves most about working in education is the ability to help students reach their full potential.

As an administrator, he said he always strives to do what’s in the best interest of his students and he knows that can vary from person to person.

“I’m a big believer that all kids can learn and achieve, and my first priority will be academic achievement,” Zuck said.

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Three Olathe high schools to have new principals next year."