USD 409 begins search for new Atchison High principal

Atchison High School is headed into the next school year with a principal search underway, a change that will ripple through discipline, parent communication, scheduling and the day-to-day tone of the building.

USD 409 is now accepting applications for the Atchison High School principal position for the 2026-2027 school year after Dr. Latisha Williams resigned and school leaders accepted her departure at the latest Board of Education meeting. The district said Williams left for a position at another school, making this a personnel transition rather than a disciplinary change, but one that still leaves a major leadership post open in the county’s largest high school.

For Atchison families, the timing matters. The principal at Atchison High is one of the most visible leaders in town, working with students, teachers, parents, athletic programs and extracurricular activities. In a district serving 1,476 students across four schools, according to Ballotpedia, a single leadership change can affect how smoothly the building moves through summer planning and into fall.

The transition comes with some context already on the public record. In January 2026 board minutes, Williams gave an Atchison High School update focused on chronic absenteeism and the steps her leadership team was taking to reduce it. That work points to one of the first issues the next principal is likely to inherit, along with the broader task of maintaining school culture and consistency as the new academic year approaches.

Atchison Public Schools says Board of Education meetings are held the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 626 Commercial Street. The district’s board-meeting page lists meetings on April 13, 2026, and May 11, 2026, giving families and staff a clear public timeline for when leadership questions have been addressed and when more details about the search may emerge. Stakeholders can also review meeting agendas, reports and recaps on the district website before or after each meeting.

Williams’ departure follows a period in which she had a high profile beyond the high school. In March, the World Youth Alliance honored her with the Mary R. Smith Award for her work implementing the Human Dignity Curriculum, and Benedictine College noted that she had previously presented on that curriculum at the United Nations in 2024.

Atchison Public Schools says its mission is to identify and remove barriers to promote equal opportunities for success for all students. That mission now frames the search for the next Atchison High principal, a hire that will shape the school’s culture, staffing plans and sense of stability heading into fall.