Grain Valley Schools

Grain Valley Schools Community,

I am honored to begin serving my first school year as Superintendent of Schools. Grain Valley is a great place to be a kid. Together, we can make it even better.

My wife Karen and I have lived here since 2007 and our two children graduated from GVHS. Our daughter is an architect and our son is preparing for his first year as an elementary school teacher. We are proud of them and are grateful for a school system that helped prepare them for life on their own.

My first role in Grain Valley in 2007 was as the principal at Sni-A-Bar Elementary. Since 2011, I have served as assistant superintendent and then deputy superintendent. Prior to Grain Valley, I worked in Liberty. I supervised in-school suspension and then was a teacher before stepping into school administration.

I have enjoyed the excitement of helping others make connections and learn new things since I was a teenager and a career in education has brought me countless rewards by shaping learning experiences for others. I want to ensure every year of a student’s experience is filled with inquiry, challenge, critical thinking, and the thrill of new discoveries.

The learning experiences at school require a reasonable level of positive risk-taking. Let’s face it, our young people face many challenges figuring out their place in the world and for some, the risk of even a little failure can be paralyzing. We must ensure students feel safe to allow them to gain the most from their school experience. Students who avoid learning in class because they feel unsafe or are worried about failure are less likely to reach their potential and may miss out on opportunities to develop perseverance. Through all of the roles I have served, I have led with a passion for meeting students where they are and showing them they are cared for, supported, and safe.

Grain Valley is a great school community and, given what we have been through these past couple of years, I am confident that together we will persevere through any challenges that may be ahead.

I look forward to serving our community in my new role.

Dr. Brad Welle

Superintendent

(816) 847-5006