Dr. Kiely: Liberty’s First Female Principal
Get to know one of Liberty’s assistant principals
Dr. Kiely has worked in education for 10 years, teaching at Liberty for three years before advancing to assistant principal.
April 13, 2022
In their weekly newsletter, the Wentzville School District included a statistic stating that 56% of all WSD administrators are women. Liberty is home to one of those women, our assistant principal Dr. Kiely.
Dr. Kiely has worked in education for 10 years, teaching at Liberty for three years before advancing to assistant principal. “I knew in high school that I wanted to either become a lawyer or a principal, and I decided pretty early on in college that I wanted to be a principal.”
Dr. Kiely majored in K-12 education in order to become a teacher first. She attended Missouri State University and received her master’s degree within her first year of teaching. In 2017, she earned her doctorate degree in educational administration.
“What ultimately pushed me to get my doctorate was my great aunt,” Kiely said. She was one class away from obtaining the degree, but was forced to move because of her husband, and never completed it. Kiely’s doctorate is a way to honor her aunt, her aspirations, and her hard work.
My career started here, it’s going to continue growing here, and eventually I hope I get to retire here.
— Dr. Kiely
Kiely considers Liberty a “second home,” explaining her brightly painted office and close relationships among her coworkers. Counting hours in the summer and after school, she spends more time in the building than at home. Kiely wants students to feel welcome upon entering her office, and to encourage motivation.
“I wanted my office to represent who I am,” Kiely explained. “I like positivity, and what screams more positive than pink?”
As for her coworkers, Kiely could not speak highly enough of them. “I love coming to work each day, because of my team. I have the best boss in the world, and the other administrators are seriously like my brothers.”
Kiely, along with the rest of the administrative staff, works together on a multitude of tasks.
“I’m in charge of the ‘Be Kind’ campaign, and PR (public relations) which includes sending out parent info, and AI updates,” Kiely said. The principals share the responsibilities of teacher evaluations and helping students.
At home, Kiely has a 14-year-old stepson and an almost 2-year-old daughter. Besides her job, she is passionate about baseball.
“I’m a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan. Baseball has always been a really big part of my life,” she said. Kiely grew up going to games with her family, who are also of utmost importance to her. “Obviously my mom and my aunt inspire and motivate me, but also the women that surround me at Liberty, they’re my friends whom I genuinely love.”
The love Kiely has for Liberty, her coworkers, and students is undeniable.
“My career started here, it’s going to continue growing here, and eventually I hope I get to retire here,” she said.
