Superindendant Candidate Profile: Dr. David McGehee

Biography & Experience

Dr. David McGehee has over 30 years of education experience, working as a superintendent for 18 of those 30 years. Dr. McGehee places a strong emphasis on the needs of individual students, and says that he will not settle for the success of the majority. McGehee has a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Valley College, a master’s degree and a specialist’s degree from Missouri State University, and a doctorate from St. Louis University. Prior to serving as a superintendent, Dr. McGehee worked in the classroom for 8 years and a high school principal for 3 years. For the past 2 years, McGehee has worked as an education consultant, advising schools on how to improve teaching practices.

McGehee has been recognized as Missouri New Superintendent of the Year (2000), Missouri Superintendent of the Year (2013), and an Icon of Education (2016).

Why USD 475?

“I’m a Midwesterner, I grew up in Missouri, I’ve never really lived anywhere but Missouri up until the last 2 and a half years or so. I moved just across the state line into Prairie Village, kind of the Overland Park area, and it was my goal to get back into school leadership somewhere within the Midwest, so you keep your eyes out for what’s happening. At the same time, I developed a dialogue with a colleague of mine that is a superintendent in Knob Noster who serves the Whiteman Air Force Base, that’s a public school that serves military schools as well, and in talking with Dr. Wheeler, it created a passion in me to do something similar to what he was doing. It adds more purpose to your leadership job when you know that you are also in some way serving your country by providing good quality education for those families that are serving you in the military. I think that Geary County matches a lot of my skills, talents, and desires. I find it to be a district that is focused on professional development, which means they’re focused on high quality teachers, and I think that high quality teachers are the key to a lot of things, including closing the achievement gap. It’s a district that has an innovative mindset, and I’ve often been a leader and always a supporter of innovation.”