Her Story
About Kimaada
Kimaada Ellison, MEd, is the Dean of Students at Hazelwood School District, where she has built her career around school culture, climate, and meaningful relationships. She brings 28 years of experience in education, including 26 years as a classroom teacher in Mississippi and Missouri. In her current role, she counsels students, serves as a bridge between students and staff, and helps young people navigate the move from elementary to middle school. She also leads a Teen Talk series that gives students an anonymous way to share concerns after school.
Ellison's path into education began with a third-grade teacher, Ms. Brown, who supported her as one of the first African American students to desegregate a predominantly white school through the DSEC program. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education at Jackson State University and a Master of Education in educational leadership and administration at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is now pursuing a Doctor of Education in the same field at Maryville University. She has been named Teacher of the Year six times across districts, though she says a former student's heartfelt thanks means more to her than any formal award.
Ellison is a member of Iota Phi Lambda, a Women of Distinction nominee, and a participant in both the Missouri Leadership Development System's Aspiring Leaders Cohort and the Teach for America Aspiring School Leaders Fellowship as she works toward becoming a building principal. A licensed cosmetologist, she also works in a salon after school, which has helped her support her five children while avoiding student loans. Guided by faith, integrity, and accountability, she champions "loving accountability" and credits her success to a resilient mindset forged by overcoming a challenging childhood.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kimaada
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to refusing to make or accept excuses, holding myself accountable, and pushing myself to keep growing. My faith and my belief in my own abilities and mindset have carried me as well. I made my way to college on a Greyhound bus and worked through a difficult childhood without blaming others. Maintaining a strong work ethic has been central throughout my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I received was to let my faith be bigger than my fears. I learned to prove doubters wrong through internal drive and determination, to apply my faith to everything I do, and to use a lack of support as motivation.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them to love their students like their own, with loving accountability. Treat students as you would your own children by building their confidence while consistently enforcing rules and consequences. Never give up on them, even across cultural differences.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Education faces real challenges, including competition from social media, shortened student attention spans, a desire for instant success, lack of parental support, and funding shortfalls. The greatest opportunity lies in the intrinsic rewards of building relationships and connections with struggling students and supporting them through their difficulties.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My most important values are integrity, faith, accountability, family, fun, communication, and transparency. A strong moral compass guides me through hard decisions, and I make a point of infusing fun into the activities I lead.
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