Mason Superintendent Announces Retirement at End of School Year

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November 17, 2017
Mason Superintendent Announces Retirement at End of School Year
 
The 2017-2018 school year will be the final one for Dr. Gail Kist-Kline, ​​​​​​​Mason City Schools Superintendent. After over 30 years, the last seven in Mason, Dr. Kist-Kline is retiring from public education on June 30, 2018.

“I know myself well, and believe that everything has a season. I am most proud of having been able to grow leadership capacity. I look back and appreciate some important mentors I had in my life - my dad was a tremendous person who instilled a sense of service to others, Hal Lawson, a Miami connection, was a visionary leader who demonstrated the importance of strategic thinking and planning, and many coaches and teachers who taught me the importance of relationships and team. I have been privileged to work alongside some outstanding people, and I believe that now it is my responsibility to recognize and nurture top talent so that these dynamic people can achieve their dreams while ensuring that Mason continues “Growing Greatness Together!”

During her time in Mason, Dr. Kist-Kline redesigned the district's technology budget and focus to become a Center for Innovation that is a model to school districts across the nation, created and led a Teacher Leadership Academy that more than 300 teachers have participated in, helped spearhead the statewide adoption of a “Quality Profile” by more than 60 Ohio school districts as a more robust companion to the State Report Card, and helped found the Greater Cincinnati School Advocacy Network of more than 40 school districts in SW Ohio working together to take back local control of our schools. The Mason City School District continues to be one of the state’s highest performing school districts; it has a national reputation for offering students incredible opportunities.

“Leading a bold effort to equip, empower, and inspire the next generation of leaders is no easy feat, and we have been blessed to have Dr. Kist-Kline at the helm. She has empowered a team of leaders with integrity who are ready to step up to serve, and we are so grateful for her foresight and courage,” said Board President Matt Steele. “Dr. Kist-Kline came to Mason at a challenging time in our district’s history.  Following the 2010 levy failure, she oversaw efforts to reduce costs that included closing an elementary school, reducing the administration, eliminating over 125 staff positions, moving from trimesters to semesters, and streamlining transportation services. Today, our district’s finances are stable, and most importantly we have been able to invest in innovative programming and maintain extraordinary opportunities for our students- all within the framework of building a culture of leadership.”

Dr. Kist-Kline to Lead The Christ College

In July 2018, Dr. Kist-Kline will begin serving the Greater Cincinnati community in a new way - as The Christ College of Nursing & Health Science’s fourth president. Dr. Kist-Kline is the current president of the board of the Miami University Alumni Association (approximately 200,000 members) and has served on several community and educational boards including the newly founded Grant Us Hope board, which aims to prevent suicide. She is an advocate for educational leadership issues in the Greater Cincinnati area and part of Leadership Cincinnati Class 36. She is an ex-officio board member of the Mason Schools Foundation and a member of Kiwanis and Rotary International.

Before joining Mason City Schools, Dr. Kist-Kline spent over three decades as an educator in Ohio as a high school teacher, faculty member at Miami University for eight years, Assistant Principal in the Lakota Local Schools, Principal at St. Joseph Consolidated School and Princeton City Schools, Curriculum Coordinator at Princeton, and Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent of Wyoming City Schools.