New assistant principal named for Kearney High School

KEARNEY, Neb. (KSNB) - Paloma Mena-Werth has been hired as the new Kearney High School Assistant Principal beginning in the 2023-2024 school year.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Mena-Werth to the Bearcat administrative team. Ms. Mena-Werth has a great deal to offer KHS as a leader, and we are excited to see how she compliments all of the great things Kearney High is already doing,” said KHS Principal Jeff Ganz. “Through the interview process, she rose to the top of an extremely impressive pool, and her skills will help KHS continue to be a safe and effective place for the students of Kearney to call home.”

Since 2012, Mena-Werth has served as the Band Director at Sunrise Middle School, teaching five concert bands, beginning guitar, and an honor band. She is also credited with starting the guitar class in 2012 and the ukulele club in 2015. Among other awards, Mena-werth was awarded the Kearney Public Schools Outstanding Educator Award in 2021 and was a Nebraska Music Education Association Outstanding Young Music Educator Award nominee in 2018.

She has extensive leadership experience, including UNK’s NexGen Leadership Academy, NCSA Emerging Administrator Workshop, Kearney Education Association Vice President, KPS Crisis Response Team, and others. Mena-Werth is highly involved in her education community at Sunrise. She organized the Sunrise Gratitude Project, Cinco de Sunrise, Starts with Hello Week, as well as many district-wide programs.

“For the past eleven years, I’ve taken a tremendous amount of pride in teaching for the district that made me want to be a teacher,” said Mena-Werth. “I love Kearney Public Schools and the Kearney community. It is an honor to join the incredible administrative team at Kearney High School. I’m looking forward to collaborating with the Kearney High staff at the pinnacle of our students’ journey through KPS.”

Mena-Werth received two Master’s degrees in School Principalship for 7-12 in 2020 and K-6 in 2022 from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She also holds a Master’s degree in Secondary School Counseling and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, both from UNK. She is also a National Geographic Certified Educator and holds a Mindful Schools Fundamentals Certification.

She will begin her position in the 2023-2024 school year and will replace Jennifer Cady, who left the district in November.