Grossmont High School Loses Principal, Gains an Assistant Superintendent

Updated at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday

Monday was different at Grossmont High School.  For the first time since 2002, Theresa Kemper wasn’t principal.

On Thursday, the school board elevated Kemper to assistant superintendent for educational services under Superintendent Ralf Swenson.  At the same time, the board named eight-year vice principal Dan Barnes as principal of the district’s oldest school.

“Leaving is bittersweet,” Kemper said via email Monday, her first day on the job. “I have had many wonderful years at Grossmont High School. The students, staff, and community have been wonderful to work with. We have grown together, been through hard and wonderful times together, and had a lot of fun.”

But she isn’t going far, geographically.

“I am still on the Grossmont campus,” she said. “I am in the corner office of the 100 building, where district office Special Education offices used to be. The good thing is I can still see the kids and teachers every day.”

Kemper is replacing Mike Lewis in the district office.

“He sought a different role in GUHSD and is currently bringing his leadership skills to our [Regional Occupational Program and Career Technical Eduction] program,” said Catherine Martin, district spokeswoman.

On Wednesday, Grossmont faculty and staff threw Kemper a party, which she describes as a tear-jerker.

“I was invited to a surprise luncheon in the Old Gym,” she said. “I opened the door to find the students and staff lined up waiting for me. The band played Hail to the Chief and staff was lined up creating a gauntlet for me to walk through.”

Associated Student Body members showed a movie they made of students and staff talking about Kemper and saying goodbye.

“Staff members gave me yellow roses and talked about their experience with me at Grossmont,” she said. “It was very emotional for me. I cried as I was filled with emotions—proud of them and the school and sad to be leaving them.

In an email to Foothiller families, Kemper said: “I can say that my nearly nine years as principal of Grossmont High School have been the most rewarding years of my career. This truly is a special place. I am thrilled that Assistant Principal Dan Barnes will be Grossmont’s new Principal. ... The superintendent and I are fully confident in Mr. Barnes’ leadership and wanted the transition for the school to be as smooth as possible. Mr. Barnes will continue the great work we are doing at Grossmont High School.  Thank you for sending us great kids and supporting our school in every way you can.”
 
And to her Grossmont staff, Kemper wrote:

It is with a heavy heart that I say thank you to all of you who make Grossmont High School such a special place. … I am excited about this challenge yet sad to leave all of you (even though I will be right next door). … We are doing wonderful things at GHS, and they will get only better. Things will happen quickly with my starting next Monday. I will keep you updated on the transition plan.

I was so proud to walk through classrooms with [literacy expert] Lin Kuzmich today. Teachers are positive, care about kids, foster respect for diversity, and help foster school pride. Our students are curious about their learning and are well behaved. Lin believes that with what we have going already, we can push our API score to over 800 without too much additional effort by continuing our focus on literacy and higher order thinking in every classroom.

For his part, schools chief Swenson praised Kemper for leading improvement efforts that led to Grossmont High School being named a California Distinguished School and attaining status as a California Exemplary Career Technical Education School.
 
“Mrs. Kemper’s leadership resulted in programs that addressed student needs including a new JROTC program, revamped CTE program, strong arts program and a unique high school reading and literacy program,” Swenson said. “Her work with mathematics teachers resulted in a strong results-driven program that also helped establish professional learning communities on campus.”
 
Kemper’s career also includes stints as an English teacher, curriculum specialist and assistant principal in the district.
 
“Her career in education began in 1989 as a teacher at El Cajon Valley High School,” Swenson noted his newline column. “In addition to teaching English classes, she also taught journalism, Advanced Placement students as well as English Learners, and, in addition, was adviser for the school newspaper. 
 
Kemper, who will make $142,000 a year in her new job, was one of the first two curriculum specialists to be hired in the district in 1996. She was assistant principal at Granite Hills High School from 1999 until she was named principal of Grossmont High School.
 
Kemper earned a degree of education specialist from Point Loma Nazarene University. She received a master’s degree in English from San Diego State University and bachelor’s degree in English from California State University Stanislaus.
 
Of Barnes, the new Grossmont principal, Swenson said: “We are fortunate to have a trusted and experienced assistant principal, endorsed by his predecessor, who is available to step into the role of principal at our flagship high school.”
 
Barnes, whose principal salary is $126,297 a year, graduated from Granite Hills High School and San Diego State University. He also earned a teaching credential from Christian Heritage College and a master’s degree and educational administrative credential from National University, the district said.  
 
“He began working in GUHSD as a campus supervisor at Granite Hills and Valhalla High Schools,” Swenson said. “His teaching career began at Granite Hills as a U.S. history and geography teacher, where he also coached football and girls basketball.

Eight years ago, he moved to Grossmont High School in the role of an assistant principal and officially became a Foothiller.
 
Kemper said: “Dan Barnes will do a great job. He cares about kids, the community, and the staff. In addition, he is passionate about creating opportunities for and raising achievement for all students. My advice [to him] was to listen, be fair and lead.”

Barnes has written: “I wasn’t sure what a Foothiller was when I first arrived at Grossmont High School. The fictional character of a Foothiller is a Daniel Boone type persona that lived in the foothills of East County,
 before the school was built in 1922.

“The real character of a Foothiller is seen every day I walk onto campus and into an amazing educational community that is Grossmont High School, a California Distinguished School. This is a community of people that I have truly grown to love and respect. … Foothillers create a school culture that can produce success in amazing community events like Mike Smith Day, Walk the Walk, and Pep-Assemblies showcased on KUSI.”

Barnes noted that Foothillers have won countless league and CIF titles in their 91-year history—and
 plan to attend college and succeed on AP and SAT tests.

“I am looking forward to the new role as principal and the opportunity to support, encourage and lead the Foothillers of Grossmont High School to continue to find their own individual and schoolwide success.”


Kemper says she’ll work under schools Superintendent Ralf Swenson, with her mission being continued improvement of student performance.

“Although academic success is the primary focus, programs that contribute to the social, extracurricular, and personal success of Grossmont district students are also an integral part of our work,” she said.

The Educational Services Division includes adult education, assessment and evaluation, categorical programs and grants, child welfare and attendance, curriculum, educational technology, English learner programs, extended and co-curricular programs, guidance and counseling, homeless and foster youth, instruction and staff development, library and media services, ROP/vocational education, special education and student support services.

Kemper lives in La Mesa—near Helix Charter High School.