By Matt Hoover
USD 475 Communications Director
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - The Geary County Schools USD 475 Board of Education recently approved the hiring of Mary Howard and Teresa Palmer to new positions within the district for the 2026-27 school year.
Howard will take over as principal and instructional coach at Milford Elementary during the upcoming school year following the retirement of longtime principal Phyllis Boller. A skilled communicator and dedicated relationship builder, Howard currently serves as an instructional coach at Morris Hill Elementary where she has worked closely with students, teachers, administrators and support staff to strengthen curriculum implementation, enhance classroom instruction, support MTSS initiatives, and foster student-centered learning environments.
Howard began working in the district in 2024 as an instructional coach at Fort Riley Elementary where she provided leadership and support to staff, while also helping manage student discipline.
Prior to her time as an instructional coach in USD 475, Howard has held several roles, including being a classroom teacher in USD 323 in St. George as well as an instructional facilitator at Pauline South Elementary in USD 437 Auburn-Washburn in Topeka. She began her career in education as a Dyslexia Practitioner and Math Interventionalist at Auburn Elementary in Auburn, Kansas in 2017.
Howard, who has also been a Title I interventionist and literacy specialist during her storied career, graduated from Kansas State University. She also has a master’s from MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe as well as a building leadership endorsement from Fort Hays State University.
Teresa Palmer will replace Fort Riley Middle School assistant principal, Allie Henry, who was recently promoted to building principal at the H.D. Karns Alternative School.
She brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to her new role as she has been a mainstay in USD 475 as a Special Education School Social Worker at both the H.D. Karns Alternative School and Junction City High School since 2006 where she has provided social, emotional and behavioral support to students receiving Special Education services through individual and group interventions.
Palmer, who earlier this year was named the 2026 Margo Award Recipient for Excellence in Social Work Practicum Instruction by the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare, has consistently collaborated with district leadership, administrators and multidisciplinary teams to develop align and implement policies, procedures and IEP practices.
During her tenure, Palmer, who was selected as finalists for the Kansas School Social Worker of the Year by the Kansas School Social Worker Association in 2025, has also led and supported a team of school social workers as the department head in USD 475, which includes the onboarding and mentoring of new staff.
Palmer, a licensed specialist clinical social worker, brings extensive knowledge into her new role as assistant principal as she has experience in mental health therapy, child welfare and school-based Special Education leadership. She also possesses extensive expertise in crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, behavioral and emotional support, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Palmer has held several leadership roles during her tenure throughout the state of Kansas, including being the current vice president and a board member of the Kansas School Social Work Association. She is also the KAY Club sponsor at the high school.
Palmer graduated from Kansas State University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in social welfare. She also has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Kansas and a building principal leadership certificate from Pittsburg State University.