The Geary County Schools USD 475 Board of Education has approved the hiring of Allie Henry and Jennifer Gatz to new positions within the district for the 2026-27 school year. Henry will take over as principal at the H.D. Karns Alternative School during the upcoming school year following the retirement of current principal Jeff Tanner. A strong relationship builder, Henry is currently an assistant principal at Fort Riley Middle School USD 475 and has been a staple at Fort Riley Middle since 2018 as both an assistant principal and instructional coach.
Gatz will replace current Executive Director of Personnel Services, Tim Winter, who is retiring at the end of this school year. She is currently the Superintendent of Schools at Riverside USD 114 in Elwood, Kansas.With over 25 years of experience in K-12 education, Gatz brings a wealth of knowledge and skillset to USD 475 as she has served as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, director of student learning, principal, instructional coach and teacher during her tenure. She has extensive experience in curriculum alignment, professional development, KESA accreditation, fiscal management, and long-range strategic planning.