Principal John McKinney to be Director of Family Services starting next year

After five years of serving as the principal of East, Dr. John McKinney will become SMSD’s new director of family services beginning next school year, replacing current director, Rob Bell, who will be retiring. Current principal of Indian Hills Middle School, Scott Sherman, will be taking over as the East principle for the 2018-2019 school year.

Though McKinney is faced with a position new to him, Sherman’s new position will be more familiar due to past experience. Prior to working at Indian Hills since 2014, Sherman had been a teacher in SMSD high schools for 19 years and feels the change will not be too different.

“From my understanding, McKinney had developed a good school culture, so I want to continue everything that is in place up to this point,” Sherman said.

After applying online last week, McKinney was contacted on March 28 and offered the job by the district. McKinney said he has a basic idea of why his current familiarity of working with students and families, as well as his passion for helping students achieve unwavering education, would be applicable to his new job description.

“Anything that is a hindrance to [education], whether it be financial, socioeconomic or a home situation, I want to help solve that so that we can make sure that kid is ready to learn,” McKinney said.

As the head director of family services, McKinney will oversee the administration of social work and counseling for the district — all skills he was able to become familiar with through his years at East — whether it be teaching English or becoming associate or head principal.

The job will also include providing for families in the district in ways such as free and reduced lunches and helping them to navigate through financial situations in the way of education.

However, McKinney wants to make sure that he continues to fulfill his obligations to the graduating class of 2018 and allow an easy transition for Sherman into his new job.

These changes came about not due to unfulfillment with his current job as principal, but because the opportunity arose to further the skillset he feels he has adapted over the past 20 years from being in the field of education, according to McKinney.

“Whether it be by teaching Shakespeare and really getting into Hamlet or helping families to pay their rent for the month, this unique opportunity was a chance to take that to the district level,” McKinney said.