When Kem Kemp first heard about the opening at St. John’s, she only knew of it as “the beautiful stone school.” Now, after 32 years at St. John’s and 44 years of teaching experience in total, she has decided to retire.
Kemp joined the school in 1993, where she took a position as an advisor for the yearbook and Middle School English teacher and later became an Upper School English teacher. She learned of the opportunity at a journalism conference and eventually chose to apply.
“I was at a turning point in life and ready for a change,” she said. “So I called and interviewed, and the rest is history.”
When she started college, Kemp did not plan on becoming an English teacher—she wanted to be a sports coach. After a college English course “opened [her] world,” she decided to pursue a career in education.
Before teaching at the School, Kemp taught Language Arts and Writing Workshop at Cypress Fairbanks, as well as working as an advisor for the yearbook there. While the two schools are very different, she described the switch as “freeing” because of the new autonomy she had without a standard curriculum. Coming from a school with 30-35 students per class and almost no choice in lesson plans, Kemp loved the ability to choose what and how to teach.
“I wanted to explore,” she said. “St. John’s supported my growth, and I’m so thankful.”
Kemp now teaches freshman English along with senior seminars Into the Dark Forest and Beg, Borrow, and Steal. Throughout her time at the school, she has worked under 11 English department chairs, led a grade-level team and watched the transition from lecture-style lessons to more collaborative learning techniques.
Kemp’s goals in the classroom include encouraging her students’ love of learning and helping them realize their potential in literature.
“I want them to feel empowered and confident and lean into the messy process of not being perfect,” Kemp said. “I want them to go forward and feel like they can conquer what’s ahead.”
But Kemp has had an impact in more than just her subject. After 32 advisories and countless classes, she has made connections with each of her students.
“She really got to know everyone personally,” freshman Allie Salisbury said. “I always felt welcome in her classroom.”
This past fall, Kemp began to consider transitioning out of her teaching career.
“After 44 years of teaching, I want to step back and spend time with family,” she said. “I want to develop my own craft.”
At the end of the school year, Kemp will be retiring to spend time with family and pursue hobbies, including publishing on the Medium website and teaching writing workshops for others. She wants to make time to continue to explore her own passion for literature, inspired by her students, but she will be back next year to teach Jan Plan class From Myth to Modernity.
“What has been amazing is the relationships I’ve established,” Kemp said. “I am who I am because of being here and teaching here.”
