Kempenich named OASA District 18 Superintendent of the Year
Poteau Superintendent Scott Kempenich was chosen as the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators Superintendent of the Year for District 18. Each district includes multiple counties and several school superintendents. Kempenich was chosen for this honor by his peers, and this is the first time he has received this distinction.
“It’s selected by my peers,” he said, “so from that end, it’s a really big honor.”
Being selected for District 18 Superintendent of the Year means Kempenich is eligible to enter for Superintendent of the Year for the State of Oklahoma.
Kempenich has worked at a superintendent for five years now, but is now finishing up his first year as superintendent at Poteau Schools. His previous superintendent position was at Newkirk Public Schools.
Since taking on this role, Kempenich has worked hard to learn about the community he serves.
“I always try to balance coming in and learning the community before you try to institute changes,” he said. “However, I think anytime you come in, there’s things you have to be willing to fix.”
He said things he has worked on improving in the district includes the school’s finances, including ensuring the school will have plenty of funds for operational costs when Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSR) end. ESSR money ends this year.
“Coming in and making the changes we need to make on a financial side, have been a big challenge,” he said.
Kempenich credited his team at Poteau Public Schools for rising to meet the challenges when it comes to the school’s finances, and said that many adjustments had to be made.
He said he is proud of getting all of the school sites to work together more cohesively, and said everyone is working as a team.
One of the largest challenges he has faced is making sure no students are left out, which is a common problem at any school.
“When you get into a district this size, it’s really easy for kids to fall through the gaps,” he said, adding that it is an important issue that Poteau must continue to address this issue.
Kempenich has worked on forming relationships in the community he serves. He said the superintendents role is “the face” for the school in the community, and it is important to build those relationships.
“I live here, and I want to be in the community. I want to get to know what’s happening in the community,” he said. “The more I’m in the community, the better I understand our school.”
Kempenich has started participating in several local groups. He is a Kiwanis Club member, a Chamber of Commerce board member, and a member at LCDC.
Going forward, Kempenich said he will continue to prioritize working on the school district’s finances.
“We have a capital improvement plan in place, and that really is going to be one of our early priorities,” he said.
Another priority for him is getting facilities up to date. There are floors, roofs, and restrooms that need repaired or updated. He said one big thing he wants to do is get Air
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