Dr. Kim Tierney Named Executive Director of Teaching and Learning

Dr. Kim Tierney has been named the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning beginning in the 2025-26 school year, pending board approval.

In this newly created role, Tierney will lead the District’s student-centered, districtwide learning initiatives. She will serve on the Waukee CSD Senior Leadership Team, oversee the District’s school improvement team, and collaborate with school principals and department leaders.

“I’m incredibly honored to take on the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning role for Waukee CSD. This is a great opportunity to build on the District’s strengths, support our educators, align our systems, and ensure every student has what they need to succeed,” Tierney says.

Tierney began her career as a teacher and coach at Waukee CSD. She served as an elementary principal in Denver, Iowa — where she was named the Iowa Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators of Iowa — before returning to Waukee in 2014.

Since then, she has served as principal at Maple Grove Elementary, associate principal at Northwest High School, and most recently, principal at Radiant Elementary. In 2018, she helped Maple Grove secure the distinguished “Leader in Me” Lighthouse Certification.

“Waukee has always been a District that values innovation and student success, with exceptional talent across our organization. I’m excited to collaborate with our incredible educators and leaders to continue driving our schools and students forward,” Tierney says.

Tierney earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa, where she was a student athlete and was later inducted into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame. She earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership from Iowa State University in 2008 and her Doctor of Education in Leadership and Superintendent License from Drake University in 2024.