Published: July 29, 2009 09:10 am      

Knox hires Merida as asst. superintendent

Special to The Times-Tribune

Kim Merida, who has spent the past six and a half years as assistant principal at Knox Central High School, has been named the new assistant superintendent of the Knox County School District.

A native of Knox County who is in his 19th year as an educator, Merida replaces Malena Jones, who retired in June.

Merida began his teaching career in Knox County in 1991 as a business teacher at Knox Central High School. He also restarted and coached the school’s successful boys’ cross country program from 1996-1999, during which the team garnered three regional titles and had teams ranked No. 2 in the state for two consecutive years.

In January 1999, Merida was named Safe School Administrator and Principal at the Knox County Learning Academy, an alternative school operated by the Knox County School System. During this tenure, Merida saw the school relocate from Daniel Boone Drive in Barbourville to the Old Lynn Camp School property and its enrollment increase from 40 to 125. 

“I’m proud to be the assistant superintendent, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that all the students in our district receive every opportunity possible to be successful in life,” Merida said. “It doesn’t matter about their background, where they started from, it only matters where they end up at, and the journey is the exciting part of it. Any effect I can have in a positive way, I want to do that, because it’s all about the students.”

Superintendent Walter T. Hulett noted that the position of assistant superintendent was being “changed back into that of a blend of both maintenance and instruction, and he (Merida) will have a good cross section of both.”

“I’ve been observing, having been here three years, the principals and assistant principals — I just felt like that for me, he was a really good fit for what we want to do,” Hulett said, adding, “I think our personalities will be a good fit. I respect the job that he’s done, and he’ll do a really good job here. He’s very easy tempered and soft spoken. I think parents can talk with him, and he’s had good experience being assistant principal, so that will not be new to him.”

Merida said his primary responsibilities will be the maintenance of facilities, while also handling Title IX  issues dealing with gender equality in schools,  parent issues, and school-level concerns. He also will be involved in aspects of curriculum and instruction.

On his first day on the job, Merida said he met with school officials at Lynn Camp concerning occupancy permits for the new field house and a fence and irrigation system for the new softball field. 

He also met with Hulett and Department of Transportation officials and engineers on the new stoplight and turning lanes at Knox Central High School. The day also consisted of reviewing specifications for mowing equipment to be used by grounds workers and conducting a parent conference concerning school schedules.

Asked about his educational philosophy, Merida said, “That involves so many aspects. My basic premise is every student is special, and every student deserves the necessary attention it takes to set them on a path for success.”

Merida said it’s important for adults to serve as role models for their students. “It’s so important that as an adult, we can have the influence on them to see what success is about and that they can achieve it.”

Merida related how he was influenced in a positive way by several teachers, coaches, and teammates like Marty “Hosse” Smith, Opal Kinningham, Harold Gregory, Ann Wahlstedt, Robert Messer, Norma Bain, Opal Mays, and Irene Hughes, just to name a few during his student days at Dewitt Elementary and Knox Central.

“They really made a difference in my life. I think back: had it not been for some of them, I could have charted a completely different course.”

Merida also credits his parents, the late Adison and Gladys Allen Merida. 

“Mom and Dad had little formal education, but they had such a positive influence on our view of education growing up on Road Fork of Stinking Creek.  Dad only completed the third grade and mom the eighth during the time of the Great Depression when times were very difficult. They had a hard life raising us seven kids, but with their Christian values, they instilled in us that you have to try hard and work for what you get — you’ve got to earn it.”

Four of their children, including Kim Merida himself, subsequently obtained college degrees. Three ended up being teachers at Knox Central — Evelyn, 
Valerie, and Kim — while Faye earned a nursing degree. Brothers Shirley, Curtis and Wayne all worked in the family timber business and farmed with their father.

Kim Merida graduated from Knox Central High School in 1980. He also ran track (the 400 and 800 meter races) and cross country, qualifying for state several times in both sports.

Merida attended Union College his freshman year and Berea College for two years, but returned to Knox County when his father was ailing and worked in the family business. Merida continued his education at Union College, however, eventually earning his bachelor’s degree in business education in 1990. He later earned his M.A. from Cumberland College in 1994 and Rank I from Union College in 1996.

Kim Merida and wife Rena reside at Flat Lick. They have two children, Dylan and Becki, both of whom were valedictorians of their respective graduating classes at both Lay Elementary and Knox Central High School.  Both attend Eastern Kentucky University where Dylan is majoring in Computer Electronic Networking and Becki will major in Biology pre-med.  Merida credits Rena, his wife of 24 years, as being the major driving force behind his career and the education of their children.