2025 Men of the Year: David Kelly

After two decades working in education, David Kelly has climbed the professional ladder at Nixa Public Schools, where he’s helped lead the high school to myriad awards since being named principal in 2019.

During his tenure, Nixa High School has increased its Advanced Placement course enrollment to over 500 students from 75, been designated a Missouri Gold Star School and in 2022 was named a National Blue Ribbon School, based on its academic excellence. It was one of eight public schools in Missouri to receive the award that year from the U.S. Department of Education. Kelly says those honors mean more to him than his individual awards, which include the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association Administrator of the Year in 2021 and Principal of the Year from the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals in 2024.

“More than any award, my proudest accomplishment came last year when we had zero dropouts,” he says. “We have increased our graduation rate and academic rigor, as demonstrated by earning the highest annual performance rating of any high school in the area, while still ensuring that every student meets high standards and graduates on time. Our success is a testament to the dedication of our educators, who work tirelessly to support student learning at the highest levels.”

The role of principal has evolved from primarily managing a building to being an instructional leader, Kelly says, noting over his tenure at Nixa he’s served on the district’s strategic planning executive committee and chaired various building committees and leadership teams. He says the focus at Nixa has shifted from teaching to learning – moving beyond what the teacher is doing to how students are learning.

“This shift has fostered a culture where teachers continually reflect on the impact of their instruction, leading to meaningful improvements in student outcomes,” he says.

Nixa Superintendent Gearl Loden says Kelly models a balanced and steadfast leadership style, consistently inspiring his team and fostering a collaborative culture.

“Kelly’s ability to inspire his team, innovate for student success and maintain sustained excellence makes him an invaluable leader,” Loden says.

Noting one of his greatest passions is developing the next generation of educators, Kelly established the Nixa New Teacher Academy, a comprehensive professional development program that provides mentorship, collaboration and structured opportunities for teachers to observe and learn from one another.

Additionally, Kelly has served the past four years on the advisory board for the Nixa Education Foundation, whose mission is to enhance the educational experience of Nixa Public Schools by generating financial resources through private contributions.

“Collaborating with community and business leaders on this board has been a rewarding experience,” he says, “allowing us to directly invest in the success of our students and educators.”

Family: My beautiful wife is the principal at Inman Elementary and we have three amazing kids: Addison, 15, Ansley, 12, and Grayson, 5.

Advice to other men: Marry the right person. Having a supportive and loving spouse makes all the difference in life.