Partnership Principal
Orlen Zempel

    Wyoming’s Kemmerer High School may be small with 180 students, but those youngsters are getting a complete program to prepare them for whatever road they take in life.

   “Our goal is to give both the high and low end students everything they need to move onto higher education, whether it’s in a vocational or professional field,” says Orlen Zempel, principal, Kemmerer High. “That includes both the academic arena and what is sometimes called ‘the hidden curriculum’—student activities

   Resting in the least populated state in the country, the 9-12 school is in a very rural community where coal and natural gas are the main industries along with some ranching. The school has 18 certified staff members, four non-certificated staff, and one administrator—Zempel, who came to Kemmerer HS four years ago after working as a principal in Montana. But a great deal is going on.

   One area that has seen tremendous growth is the advanced placement program. In 2003 the school offered AP courses in calculus and government, and 16 students took the classes but only 31 percent passed the test for college credit. Now art has been added as an AP offering, and last year 18 students took AP classes with 67 percent passing the test.

   Kemmerer also has a number of “concurrent classes,” where students are able to receive both high school and college credit upon successful completion, and the number of students benefiting from them is also growing (36 in 2007 and 44 last year). Two graduates last year each had accumulated 23 college credits.

   “We’re trying to emphasize more concurrent classes in our vocation program,” said Zempel. “Many of our youngsters who focus on the vocational program leave high school to enter the work force. We hope that if they see they can receive college credit while here, they’ll graduate and pursue some additional education.”

  He estimates that 60 percent of the Kemmerer student body takes some vocational coursework. Programs are offered in welding, automotive, building trades, woods, drafting, basic electricity, business, computer applications, child development, culinary arts, food and nutrition.

   While the Kemmerer staff is working to improve the academic program, it is also proud of the student activities offered its students.

  “We provide more in the way of student activities than any other school our size in Wyoming,” Zempel explains. “Many call student activities the ‘hidden curriculum’, and we believe students learn important lessons through sports and other activities. Research tells us these activities prepare kids for the real world, providing experience in dealing with disappointment, victory, defeat—all the things they will face as adults.”

  Kemmerer is the smallest school in Wyoming that offers both boys and girls swimming, and has achieved much in the activities arena. Competing against schools of more than 800 students, Kemmerer in the recent past has won the state cheerleading title, and been state runner-up in football, girls volleyball, baseball, boys swimming, and competitive dance.

  It also has a speech and debate team, music programs, and a successful history quiz bowl team.

   The various programs—academic and activities—have led to a good graduation rate that saw a big boost last year.

  “Typically our graduation rate is between 80 and 85 percent, but last year it jumped to 98 percent,” Zempel said. “We started with a class of 60, and every student either graduated or transferred to another school with one exception.”

   He believes that this results from a number of reasons ranging from having a staff that is aware of student needs and working toward meeting those needs, to having a risk coordinator who works directly with students showing signs of dropping out, and teachers going the extra mile to give students a second chance to pass exams.

  Zempel contends that The Principals’ Partnership is an important rung in the ladder leading to a strong educational program in the nation.

   “With the tough economic times we are all facing, I would be fearful if it wasn’t for the structure of our educational system. There isn’t another institution that is more important in holding our country together. What The Partnership is doing for school leadership is essential in helping to strengthen this structure.”

   More information about Kemmerer High School can be found at www.lcsd1.k12.wy.us, and Zempel can be contacted at ozempel@lcsd1.k12.wy.us.

Past Focus Principals

Focus- Carole Meyer
Focus- Ferdinand Wipachit
Focus- Mary Stewart
Focus-Alice Phillips
Focus-Bob Arp
Focus- Jan Borja
Focus- Leonard Franks
Focus- Stephanie Moore
Focus- Stephen Jupe
Focus- Blanca Cavazos
Focus - Gene Haynes
Focus- Dan Besett
Focus- Rodney Matheney
Focus- Catherine Guy
Focus- Bob Rodriguez
Focus- John Brumley
Focus- Nancy York
Focus- Jerrylyn Jones
Focus- Gloria Erkins
Focus- Ron Sing
Focus- Bill Hittman
Focus- Jeanene Sampson
Focus- David Gilligan
Focus - Joy Walton
Focus- William Roberts
Focus- Franklyn Wesley
Focus- Magdalena Gutierrez
Focus- Kent Bergum
Focus- William "Rick" Johnson
Focus- Ken Ball
Focus- Dan Tenuta
Focus- Charlesetta Deason
Focus- Rene Posey
Focus- Stuart Baker
Focus- Paul Smith
Focus- Christie Gestvang
Focus- John A. Butterfield
Focus- Janie Hill Hatton
Focus- Steve Warmack
Focus- Glen Clark
Focus- Kittie D. Weston-Knauer
Focus- William Dunn
Focus - Richard Pemberton
Focus- Dr. Anthony Spivey
Focus - John Weigel