KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Just over a week after the resignation of Dr. Dale Longenecker, Olathe South High School has named a new principal — Sean DeMaree.
DeMaree joined the school in June 2022. Previously, he had spent nearly 12 years with Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools.
He has experience in a variety of roles, including assistant principal at Olathe South and assistant principal at Carl B. Bruce Middle School.
Longenecker's resignation came after parents, students and teachers demanded he be removed after recent racial incidents at the school.
Some said though the resignation felt necessary, it took too long.
“There are so many incidents that happened,” parent LaTosha Young told KSHB 41. “Why did it take until the end of the school year?”
Longenecker's tenure featured incidents such as a racist homecoming poster and an investigation of a student using a racial slur.
“All this stuff started at the beginning of the semester in January in my jewelry class," student Kirubel Solomon previously told KSHB. "These three white boys from the start of the semester, they looked at me, they saw that I was Black, and they just started targeting me, harassing me.”
With new leadership under DeMaree, the district maintains the administration is "committed to providing stability."
"Mr. DeMaree has had the opportunity to get to know the Falcon staff and students over the past year and has a strong handle on the building culture, its strengths and he has a bright vision for the future," according to a district news release. "He is known for his positive relationship-building skills with students and staff, and as a proud Olathe graduate himself, feels a deep connection to the Olathe community and is eager to lead the Olathe South community into the future."
The district reports DeMaree will work with the Olathe Schools administration over the summer to "ensure a smooth transition" into the next school year.
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