Dr. Kim McKinney is an educator whose career has been shaped by steady advancement, deep commitment, and strong ties to the Tomball community. 

In August 2025, she took  on the role of Principal of Tomball High School, marking a kind of homecoming after nearly two decades of service in the Tomball Independent School District.

Her professional career in education began in and around the early 2000s. Before joining Tomball ISD, she worked with Conroe ISD as a mathematics teacher and coach, a role that grounded her in the classroom and in mentoring students both academically and in co‑curricular settings. “My grandfather was a superintendent for years and years for the state of Texas. They moved him from one state to another to help transform schools that were struggling and so he was kind of like my hero in a lot of ways. I wanted to be like him and be able to effect change on a bigger level.”

In 2005, she entered Tomball ISD as an algebra teacher and coach at Tomball High School. Her work there laid the foundation for her later promotion to Associate Principal.

In 2017, the district selected her to become the inaugural Principal of Tomball Star Academy, an Early College High School designed in partnership with Lone Star College‑Tomball. That role required a different kind of vision, one blending high school and college level rigor, helping students begin earning college credit while still in high school, and crafting a school culture from the ground up. 

In that position she was recognized as Tomball ISD’s Secondary Principal of the Year for 2018‑2019, reflecting her success in leadership and innovation.

The announcement that in March 2025 she would become the next Principal of Tomball High School came not as a surprise to those who know her career. 

She brings more than 23 of experience, much of it at Tomball High itself, along with proven ability to lead new schools and to foster academic excellence, character, and community pride. 

For her, returning to Tomball High is described as a “full‑circle moment,” because it is the same place she entered into Tomball ISD and where many of her early responsibilities were held. In her own words, she looks forward to honoring the rich traditions of THS while guiding students and staff toward new achievements, setting a culture of high expectations alongside strong support.

She has built new schools, developed early college pathways, worked closely with staff to cultivate strong culture, and maintained a strong connection to community and student development.  When I taught I wanted to make a bigger difference for the kids in my class room. I wanted to make a difference for the kids that were struggling and a lot of those kids were the ones i was closes too because I always believed that kids can succeed. Regardless how they get to me I always believe they can succeed.

All of those qualities combined to make her the district’s choice to lead Tomball High School into its next chapter.