Principal/Mission

Dr. Todd Dain, Principal
Shawnee Mission South High School

In March of 2015, Dr. Todd Dain was named as the fifth Principal at Shawnee Mission South High School.  Dr. Dain has been involved in education as a teacher, coach, and administrator for 30 years.  He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education as an English Major and Physical Education Minor from Emporia State University.  He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Educational Leadership from Emporia State University, and earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Baker University.  Dr. Dain has been involved with many professional memberships, including NASSP, KPA, ASCD, and USA Kansas.  In 2023, he was recognized as Kansas Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and he currently serves on the NASSP Board of Directors.  Serving as an NASSP Ambassador, he also leads the NASSP Principal-of-the-Year Leadership Network.  As Past-President of the Sunflower League, Dain currently sits on the KSHSAA Board of Directors.  Dr. Dain serves as Past-President of the United School Administrators of Kansas and serves as a member of the Kansas Principals Association Board of Directors. 

Dr. Dain came to Shawnee Mission South from Blue Valley School District where he served as Associate Principal and Activities Director at Blue Valley Southwest High School.  Prior to Blue Valley Southwest, Dain served as Administrative Liaison at Olathe Northwest High School where he was recognized as the Olathe Northwest Faculty Member of the Year in 2014.

Prior to his duties as an administrator, Dain spent 20 years coaching and teaching language arts at Olathe Northwest, Shawnee Mission East, Shawnee Mission West, and Washburn Rural High School.  Dr. Dain was instrumental in opening Olathe Northwest and was a cornerstone in starting the football and track programs.  He served as Head Football Coach, where he led the Ravens to a 6A district championship, multiple playoff appearances, and was selected at the 6A Coach for the Kansas Shrine Bowl 3 times.  He also coached track and field while at Olathe Northwest, finishing his stint as Head Track Coach for the Ravens.

Prior to Olathe Northwest, Dain served as Administrative Intern, English teacher, Head Football Coach, Assistant Track, Assistant Basketball, and Assistant Baseball Coach at Shawnee Mission East High School.  In 2001 and 2002, Dain made history - leading the Lancers to back-to-back District and Regional Championships for the first time ever at SM East.  Dr. Dain also served as Administrative Intern and taught Advanced Placement English Language at Shawnee Mission West High School.  While at SM West, Dain served as the Head Track Coach and Assistant Head Football Coach, where he was instrumental in guiding the Vikings to a Sunflower League Championship.  Dain was also honored with the SM West Teacher of the Year Award in 2000.

A former Track and Field standout at Emporia State University, Dain began his teaching and coaching career at Washburn Rural High School where he coached football, basketball, and taught 'Chapter 1' Reading.  Dr. Dain is a native of Silver Lake, Kansas where earned multiple State Championships for the Golden Eagles in both football and track. Dr. Dain has served as an adjunct professor for the Baker University School of Education since the fall of 2016.  Todd is married to Dr. Jessica Dain, Superintendent for the Piper School District.  They have three children, Andie 24, Ashton 22, and Brock 20.   

 

Honors and Awards

2024 Marquis Who's Who in America

2023 Kansas Principal of the Year

2021 Marquis Who's Who in America

2018 Marquis Who's Who in America

2016 Top 100 Educators to follow on Twitter

2014 Olathe Northwest Faculty Member of the Year Award

2012 Kansas Shrine Bowl East Squad Class 6A Coach

2012 Who's Who in North American Education

2011 US Army Metro Sports Coach of the Week

2010 Manchester Who's Who in America

2009 Continental Who's Who in America

2007 Kansas Shrine Bowl East Squad Class 6A Coach

2006 GKCFCA Kansas-Missouri All-Star Game Coach

2006 Who's Who of Emerging Leaders

2006 Manchester Who's Who in America

2005 Marquis Who's Who in America

2004 Metro Sports Sunflower League Coach of the Week

2003 Olathe Optimist Star Teacher Award

2002 Kansas Shrine Bowl East Squad Class 6A Coach

2001 All Sun Country Football Coach of the Year

2001 GKCFCA Kansas-Missouri All-Star Game Coach

2000 Emporia State University Graduate Student of the Year

2000 Shawnee Mission West Teacher of the Year

1999 Shawnee Mission West PTA Lifetime Teaching Award

1998-2012 Who's Who in America's Teachers

1993 NCAA All-MIAA Conference Track and Field

1991, 1992 NAIA Track and Field National Qualifier

1990 Kansas Track and Field State Champion

1989 Kansas Football State Champion

 

Welcome and Mission

On behalf of the students and staff at Shawnee Mission South High School, it is with great pleasure that we welcome you to our school. Since opening its doors in 1966, South has set a standard of excellence in athletics, academics, and the arts. We have high expectations that all students can succeed and we continue to strive to inspire all students to achieve greatness!

  • Values: We care about ALL students.
  • Beliefs: We believe all students can and will learn.
  • Vision: Personalized learning for each student. All means ALL!
  • Mission: Our mission is to personalize learning to ensure ALL students are socially responsible, informed, and productive life-long learners.

Shawnee Mission South is an exceptional community filled with people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives who hold one very important thing in common – the well-being of our young people. We have high expectations for learning in our school, we work hard to make the best possible progress, but we also take time to brandish the “Green and Gold” to celebrate our RAIDER PRIDE!

We invite you to discover more about South, the achievements of our students, and the exciting opportunities we provide.

‘Nothin’ Greater than a Raider!’

Dr. Todd Dain, Principal

Follow me on twitter: @SMSouthTDain

 

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