Wilson Creek welcomes new principal

Wants to make school better

WILSON CREEK - Wilson Creek School Principal Kevin Kemp hopes to make Wilson Creek the state's best place for education.

Kemp, 37, moved to Wilson Creek for the principal position in June with wife Crystal, 12-year-old son Tyrus and 7-year-old daughter Kendall. He replaces Keith Jensen.

District Superintendent Linda McKay said she is excited about the knowledge Kemp brings to the school district.

In particular, Kemp is knowledgeable about secondary students and how to prepare them for life after high school, McKay said.

Kemp also knows how to match students with classes fitting their interests, abilities and strengths, she said.

"I feel that him and I both will complement each other in that role," McKay said.

Before joining Wilson Creek School District, Kemp was principal, special education director and career and technical education director at Challis School District in Idaho.

"(Challis) is bigger than Wilson Creek," Kemp said. "However, it was over three hours from Walmart or any major shopping."

Kemp also brings experience as a science teacher and coach in Camas, Wash., and a teacher at St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, Mont.

"I wanted to get back to Washington," he said. "(I) really enjoyed my time when I taught in southwest Washington, and enjoyed the way the education system is set up in Washington compared to Idaho. It's a lot more structured and the funding for the schools is a lot better."

Kemp said he does not consider Wilson Creek a small town, since it is so close to major shopping.

"It's almost like you're living in a suburb without any neighbors," Kemp said.

Both children are attending school at Wilson Creek School District.

"They get to see dad whether they like it or not," Kemp joked.

Kemp is working on his doctoral degree in educational leadership from Washington State University.

He earned his bachelor's degree in exercise physiology from University of Florida, and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Boise State University.

"I think I kind of fell into (education) by mistake," said Kemp, who has 10 years of experience in the field. "I was asked to help somebody coach baseball … and really enjoyed it."

Challenges Kemp foresees include offering a wide range of courses, increasing student involvement with activities and completing the accreditation process this year.

"The major topic of my dissertation is integrating digital classes for rural schools so they could offer a more comprehensive education," Kemp said. "It's unfair that there's kids capable of being in AP biology and AP physics, or AP calculus or taking a calculus class, but because of isolation or their location … those opportunities are not available."

In the future, Kemp hopes to become a college instructor.