KSD Welcomes New Career Readiness Coordinator

I am passionate about guiding students to find the right path, along with providing them with opportunities and resources that will help them to be successful on that path - Stacy Holtzclaw

Kearney School District is pleased to announce that Stacy Holtzclaw has joined Team Bulldogs as the new Career Readiness Coordinator. Holtzclaw brings more than two decades of experience helping students identify and prepare for a career path.

Ms. Holtzclaw’s hiring was approved during the June 26 Board of Education meeting. In her new position, she will oversee KSD’s Real World Learning initiative and career education for students in grades K-12.

One of Holtzclaw’s top priorities will be to work with teachers and local businesses to establish client projects as well as internship and job-shadowing opportunities, according to Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services Jennifer Kopp.

“Stacy brings with her a wealth of knowledge that will help us identify and develop innovative career readiness and Real World Learning experiences for every student in KSD,” Ms. Kopp said. “We’re looking forward to increasing the options for students to both earn credit and gain critical workforce skills.”

Holtzclaw joins KSD after serving for more than two decades at Excelsior Springs School District, where she taught business and English courses at the high school before implementing an English program at the Excelsior Springs Area Career Center in 2011. It was during this time that she began working closely with students in career and college preparation and helped them to identify resources in achieving their
goals.

“I am passionate about guiding students to find the right path, along with providing them with 0pportunities and resources that will help them to be successful on that path,” Holtzclaw said. “I am really excited that this position will allow me to begin exposing students to careers at an earlier age while at the same time allowing me to help each high school student identify career pathways that match their interests and talents and graduate armed with credentials whenever possible along with resources to pursue their career path.”

Holtzclaw earned an undergraduate degree in education from Missouri Western State University. She began her teaching career in Stewartsville. She later earned a Master of Arts in Education from Baker University and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership.

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