Brian Noller will assume a new role as Executive Director of Business Services starting with the 2024-25 school year. He will be continuing his role as Director of Strategic Partnerships for the remainder of this school year, and will continue to serve as the campaign lead to build a new Northland Workforce Development Center in the heart of the Northland.
Mr. Noller has been in education for 27 years, serving previously as the Director of Northland Career Center (NCC) for 11 years from 2011-2022. He has also held roles as a marketing teacher, in-school suspension teacher, summer school director, coach, and assistant director of the Career and Technology Center in the Fort Osage School District. At NCC, Mr. Noller led a team achieving many successes including increasing enrollment to an all-time high; students earning credentials, placed in internships, and celebrating organization success, and introducing market-value assets. NCC has also been recognized at the local, state, and national level, and has been selected as a Pacesetter School multiple times. For the past two years, Brian has worked with other team members at Platte County School District to deliver real-world learning experiences to students in Platte County School District. Brian and his wife Anita are Platte County School District residents and have two children, Camden, a 9th grader at Platte County High School and Delayna, a 6th grader at Platte Purchase Middle School.
Emily Brown will join PCR-3 as the new Director of Special Services and Early Learning. Emily brings over two decades of dedicated experience in education, specializing in the field of special education. Ms. Brown has held various roles within the Grandview C-4 School District for the past 11 years, including Teacher of the district Autism program, Special Education Process Coordinator, and most recently as Coordinator of Professional Development and Extended Studies. In these capacities, she coordinated professional development, summer school programming, and multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) programming as a member of the District Curriculum and Instruction Team.
With 17 years of her career specifically devoted to special education, Ms. Brown has honed her skills in understanding and addressing the diverse needs of exceptional learners. She is deeply passionate about serving students with exceptional needs and supporting the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to meet those needs.
Ms. Brown earned her Education Specialist degree from the University of Central Missouri in 2018, following her Master's degree in Education from Baker University. Her academic accomplishments, combined with her extensive practical experience, position her as a valuable asset to our district.
Ms. Brown resides in Kansas City with her husband and takes pride in her role as a parent to two grown children. In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, tending to her family's farm, and kayaking the rivers of southern Missouri. Her commitment to education and advocacy transcends the classroom as she positively impacts the lives of students and families in her community.
Ms. Brown is eager to join the Platte County School District community, where she anticipates creating an inclusive and nurturing learning environment for all students.
Dr. Hawar Khalandi will join Platte County School District as the Director of College and Career Readiness. Inspired by one of her high school teachers, Dr. Khalandi pursued the field of education to follow her footsteps and help empower students with the knowledge needed to pursue their aspirations. After 13 years of teaching a variety of science courses at Shawnee Mission and Park Hill School Districts, she transitioned to a leadership role where she served as an assistant principal at North Kansas City High School in June 2020.
Dr. Khalandi earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education and biology from University of Missouri – Kansas City. She continued her education with a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology from Emporia State University, followed by an education specialist degree from William Woods University. Her commitment to lifelong learning culminated in a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from William Woods University in 2021.
Throughout her career, Dr. Khalandi has been instrumental in creating educational experiences that empower all students to reach their full potential. Her dedication was recognized with the Greater Kansas City Assistant Principal of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year. She is deeply committed to ensuring that every student is prepared for success beyond high school, whether that be through college, career, or other pathways. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family playing board games, walking, hiking, and baking.